Before European settlement, the land that is now Compton was inhabited by the indigenous Tongva (Gabrielino) people. During the Spanish and Mexican eras, the area was part of the massive Rancho San Pedro, granted to Juan José Domínguez in 1784.
In 1867, a group of pioneer settlers led by Griffith Dickenson Compton and William Morton established a farming community here. Originally seeking a place with favorable weather and fertile soil, they founded what would become Compton. The city was officially incorporated on May 11, 1888, making it one of the oldest cities in Los Angeles County. In its early decades, Compton flourished as an agricultural hub, particularly known for sugar beets and dairy farming, and suffered severe damage during the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, which necessitated a massive rebuilding of the city's civic and commercial structures.
During the mid-20th century, Compton underwent a profound demographic shift. Initially a predominantly white municipality with racially restrictive housing covenants, the invalidation of these covenants in the 1940s allowed middle-class African American families to move into the area. By the 1970s, Compton became a major center of Black culture and political power in Southern California, electing its first Black mayor, Douglas Dollarhide, in 1969.
In the late 20th century, the city faced severe economic challenges, including the loss of industrial jobs, systemic redlining, and the devastating impact of the 1980s crack cocaine epidemic. It was during this turbulent era that Compton birthed West Coast gangsta rap, bringing international attention to the city's struggles and street realities. In the 21st century, demographics shifted once again, with the city becoming majority Hispanic/Latino, while still retaining a deep and enduring African American cultural legacy.