Compton is a city located in southern Los Angeles County, California, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 93,493.
The city has at times been notorious for gang violence, a reputation perhaps exaggerated by the rise to prominence of local gangsta rap group N.W.A. during the 1980s (see Straight Outta Compton). Compton has a very active Latino gang activity. The most well-known Latino gangs for example are the Compton Varrio Tortilla Flats, Compton Varrio 70's, Compton Varrio Largo 36, and the Compton Varrio Alondra. The most infamous and well-known gangs, however, are the African American gangs, the Crips and the Bloods.
Compton is often labeled as an "inner-city" community and is considered unattractive by many outsiders. In spite of such perceptions, Compton is home to many African-American and Latino working professionals. It boasts an equestrian club, one of the best astronomy programs for teens in the country, and is home to the Major League Baseball Academy.
Compton is located at 33°53'48" North, 118°13'30" West (33.896715, -118.225078).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.4 km2 (10.2 mi2). 26.2 km2 (10.1 mi2) of it is land and 0.2 km2 (0.1 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 0.69% water.
As of the census of 2000, there are 93,493 people, 22,327 households, and 18,620 families residing in the city. The population density is 3,563.5/km2 (9,225.6/mi2). There are 23,795 housing units at an average density of 906.9/km2 (2,348.0/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 40.31% Black or African American, 16.71% White, 0.70% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 1.05% Pacific Islander, 37.34% from other races, and 3.62% from two or more races. 56.84% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 22,327 households out of which 50.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% are married couples living together, 27.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 16.6% are non-families. 13.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 5.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 4.16 and the average family size is 4.45.
In the city the population is spread out with 38.5% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 14.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 25 years. For every 100 females there are 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $31,819, and the median income for a family is $33,021. Males have a median income of $22,698 versus $24,692 for females. The per capita income for the city is $10,389. 28.0% of the population and 25.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 35.6% of those under the age of 18 and 14.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
In 1784, the Spanish Crown deeded a tract of over 75,000 acres (304 km2) to Juan Jose Dominguez in this area. The tract was named Rancho San Pedro. Dominguez's name was later applied to the Dominguez Hills community south of Compton.
In 1867, Griffith D. Compton (1820-1905) led a group of settlers to the area in search of the mild Californian climate. The city was incorporated on May 11, 1888 and was named for Griffith D. Compton in commemoration.
Compton grew quickly in the mid-1900s. In the late 1940s with the dismantling of segregation, middle class blacks began moving into the area, mostly on the west side. One reason for this was Compton's close proximity to Watts, California, where a significant number of blacks lived at the time. However, the eastern side of the city remained predominantly Anglo into the 1960s.
In the beginning, the emerging black population was largely ignored by the city's elected officials. At one time, the City Council even discussed dismantling the Compton Police Department in favor of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, in an attempt to exclude blacks from law enforcement jobs. This slowly began to change when in 1958, the first black ran for a City Council seat. However, it would be another three years before an African-American would be elected to the Council.
That man was Douglas Dollarhide, who in 1969, made history in Compton when he became California's first African-American mayor of a metropolitan city. Four years later, Doris A. Davis defeated Dollarhide's bid for re-election to become the first African-American female mayor of a metropolitan city in the United States. By the early 1970s, the city had one of the largest concentrations of blacks in the country with over ninety percent.
For many years, Compton was a much sought after neighborhood for the black middle class of Los Angeles. This past affluence is reflected in the area's appearance -- Compton's streets are lined with relatively spacious and attractive single family homes.
However, several factors have contributed to Compton's decline. One of the most significant factors was a steady erosion of its tax base. First by whites who fled to the newly incorporated cities of Artesia, Bellflower, Paramount and Santa Fe Springs in the late 1950s. These nearby communities offered relatively low crime, lower municipal taxes and significantly, effectively excluded blacks, despite integration. This move was even further precipitated after the Watts Riots in 1965.
Soon thereafter, middle class blacks also found other areas more attractive to them. Some were unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County such as Ladera Heights, View Park and Windsor Hills, but also cities such as Inglewood and, particularly, Carson. The latter was significant because it had successfully thwarted attempts at annexation by neighboring Compton. It opted instead for incorporation in 1968 and is notable because its African-American population is actually more affluent than its white population. As a newer city, it also offered more favorable tax rates and lower crime.
As Compton's tax base deteriorated, it raised municipal taxes, which only worsened the problem. This resulted in creating a situation more favorable to lower income residents than higher income ones. Many of these new residents also benefited from the Section 8 rent-subsidy program. As a result, the need for public services increased dramatically, putting a further strain on the city's budget.
After Lionel Cade, an accountant, assumed the mayor's office in 1977, one of the first orders of business was to conduct an audit of the city's finances. It was discovered that the city was $2 million in debt. The administration was able to eliminate the huge deficit in one year by making cuts in every department. It also aggressively sought federal funding to help pay for essential services, which was at least partially effective. However, with the passage of the property tax cutting initiative Proposition 13 by California voters, Compton was one of the city's hardest hit, since it had already eliminated most of the fat from its budget.
Crime, though present in lesser degrees beforehand, worsened significantly with the introduction of crack cocaine in the latter part of the 20th Century. The neighborhood lost richer residents with the worsening safety problems, and, after the 1992 riots in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, many blacks left the region. Meanwhile, many Latino families moved into Compton.
Today, Latinos are the largest ethnic group in the city, although many people still tend to think of Compton as a primarily African American community. One possible reason for this is that despite the shift in population, as of 2005 blacks continue to dominate local politics, holding all elected positions in the city.
Source:
ComptonCalifornia.com
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