Nicolás Rolando Gabaldón (February 23, 1927 – June 6, 1951) was an early surfer who is credited by surfing experts with being California's first documented surfer of African-American and Latino descent at a time when many beaches were segregated and opportunities for minorities more limited than today.[1][2] Despite being an amateur recreational surfer rather than a professional competitive surfer, he is widely considered a role model for his part in the history of surfing and African American history in the areas of Santa Monica and California.[3][4][5][6]
Gabaldón was born February 23, 1927, in Los Angeles, California. His mother was Black and his father was Latino. Very little is known of his childhood. He lived most of his life in Santa Monica, California and was one of 50 black students at Santa Monica High School during the 1940s. Gabaldón taught himself how to surf at a 200-foot roped off stretch of demarcated beach which was part of Santa Monica State Beach. This area of beachfront was informally referred to by names such as "Ink Well Beach", "Negro Beach", and other more derogatory names.[7] In 1924, after the forced closure of black owned and operated Bruce's Beach[8] and due to de factosegregation, that portion of beachfront near Bay Street and Ocean Boulevard became the only place in Southern California that racial minorities were freely allowed to use without harassment or violence.[9] The area remains popular with African American Angelenos up through present day.
After serving in the Navy Reserve during World War II, Gabaldón enrolled in Santa Monica College, where he divided his time between pursuing his studies, surfing and working as a lifeguard. Around 1949, Gabaldón began surfing in Malibu, California at Surfrider Beach where he was accepted without question by several mainland surf pioneers. His friends and surf contemporaries included Greg Noll, Mickey Munoz, Ricky Grigg, Matt Kivlin, Buzzy Trent, Robert Wilson Simmons aka "Bob Simmons".[10] and Les Williams. Since he did not own a vehicle, Gabaldón would either get there by hitchhiking on the Pacific Coast Highway, or he would use his surfboard to paddle the 12 miles to Malibu by way of Santa Monica Bay. According to the Encyclopedia of Surfing, Gabaldón did this water commute each day for several weeks.
Gabaldón died when he crashed into the Malibu Pier while attempting a surfing move known as a "pier ride" or "shooting the pier".[11] At that time, there was a south swell that came on, creating some of the biggest waves known in that area. Gabaldón's surfboard was found immediately, but it would be 3 to 4 days before his body was found washed up on Las Flores Beach, further east of the Pier. The coroner ruled that Gabaldón died as a result of drowning. Most of his Malibu-based surfing peers had attended Gabaldón's rosary. His funeral was held at St. Monica Catholic Church, Santa Monica. He is buried in Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery.
Six days prior to his death, Gabaldón had submitted a poem for submission to the Santa Monica College literary magazine. It was entitled "Lost Lives" where he describes the sea as "capricious", "vindictive" and where men "do battle but still die." Some see the poem as being somewhat prophetic in light of how he died. The poem was published in its entirety in the now-defunct Santa Monica Evening Outlook.[citation needed]
On September 7, 2007, officials for the City of Santa Monica announced plans to commemorate the stretch of Santa Monica State Beach called the Ink Well, and to post a plaque to honor Gabaldón's contribution to the sport of surf.[12] The plaque was officially dedicated on February 7, 2008.
Referencesedit
^La'Tonya Rease Miles (2012). "Review: White Wash" (PDF). The Public Historian. 34 (2). University of California Press: 133–135. doi:10.1525/tph.2012.34.2.133.
^Streeter, Kurt (1 June 2013). "Riding a wave of history and commemoration in Santa Monica". Retrieved 8 December 2016 – via LA Times.
^Pierson, Dashel. "Celebrating the First African-American Surfer". Surfline.Com. Retrieved 2016-11-02.
^Stephen Nessen (2013-09-07). "African-American Surfers Challenge Stereotypes | Only A Game". Onlyagame.legacy.wbur.org. Retrieved 2016-11-02.
^Rachel Saltz (2011-09-22). "'White Wash,' a Documentary About Black Surfers — Review". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-11-02.
^Tambay A. Obenson (2016-05-13). "Black Surfer Documentary "Whitewash" Narrated By Ben Harper, Black Thought Gets Release Date". IndieWire. Retrieved 2016-11-02.
^"Santa Monica Mirror: Nat Trives is Mister Santa Monica". Archived from the original on 2007-06-18. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
^"BRUCE'S BEACH - The City Project". Cityprojectca.org. 2006-06-15. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
^"City of Santa Monica" (PDF). Santa-monica.org. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
^. Legendarysurfers.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-22. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
^. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
^"City of Santa Monica" (PDF). Santa-monica.org. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
The Surfer's Journal, Vol 14, #1 Early Spring 2005
Newspaper articles:
Popular CC Youth Dies In Surf Tragedy,Santa Monica Evening Outlook, 6 June 1951
Grim Foreboding Stalks Through Lines Of Poem by Tragedy Fated Student, Santa Monica Evening Outlook, 14 June 1951
L.A. Then and Now: In 'Whites Only' Era, an Oasis for L.A.'s Blacks, Cecilia Rasmussen, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2005[2]
External linksedit
Director of 12 Miles North, a documentary about Nick Gabaldon discusses the making of the film
Article in Santa Monica Daily Press Newspaper September 10, 2007[permanent dead link]
Article about Nick Gabaldon
News Story about Nick Gabaldon and Ink Well Beach Commemoration
^. Archived from the original on 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
^"In 'Whites Only' Era, an Oasis for L.A.'s Blacks". Articles.latimes.com. 2005-07-03. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
January 01, 1970
nick, gabaldón, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, june, 2008,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Nick Gabaldon news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2008 Learn how and when to remove this message Nicolas Rolando Gabaldon February 23 1927 June 6 1951 was an early surfer who is credited by surfing experts with being California s first documented surfer of African American and Latino descent at a time when many beaches were segregated and opportunities for minorities more limited than today 1 2 Despite being an amateur recreational surfer rather than a professional competitive surfer he is widely considered a role model for his part in the history of surfing and African American history in the areas of Santa Monica and California 3 4 5 6 Nick GabaldonBornNicolas Rolando Gabaldon 1927 02 23 February 23 1927Los Angeles California United StatesDiedJune 6 1951 1951 06 06 aged 24 Santa Monica California United StatesKnown forSurfing Gabaldon was born February 23 1927 in Los Angeles California His mother was Black and his father was Latino Very little is known of his childhood He lived most of his life in Santa Monica California and was one of 50 black students at Santa Monica High School during the 1940s Gabaldon taught himself how to surf at a 200 foot roped off stretch of demarcated beach which was part of Santa Monica State Beach This area of beachfront was informally referred to by names such as Ink Well Beach Negro Beach and other more derogatory names 7 In 1924 after the forced closure of black owned and operated Bruce s Beach 8 and due to de facto segregation that portion of beachfront near Bay Street and Ocean Boulevard became the only place in Southern California that racial minorities were freely allowed to use without harassment or violence 9 The area remains popular with African American Angelenos up through present day Contents 1 Accomplishments 2 References 3 Further reading 4 External linksAccomplishments editAfter serving in the Navy Reserve during World War II Gabaldon enrolled in Santa Monica College where he divided his time between pursuing his studies surfing and working as a lifeguard Around 1949 Gabaldon began surfing in Malibu California at Surfrider Beach where he was accepted without question by several mainland surf pioneers His friends and surf contemporaries included Greg Noll Mickey Munoz Ricky Grigg Matt Kivlin Buzzy Trent Robert Wilson Simmons aka Bob Simmons 10 and Les Williams Since he did not own a vehicle Gabaldon would either get there by hitchhiking on the Pacific Coast Highway or he would use his surfboard to paddle the 12 miles to Malibu by way of Santa Monica Bay According to the Encyclopedia of Surfing Gabaldon did this water commute each day for several weeks Gabaldon died when he crashed into the Malibu Pier while attempting a surfing move known as a pier ride or shooting the pier 11 At that time there was a south swell that came on creating some of the biggest waves known in that area Gabaldon s surfboard was found immediately but it would be 3 to 4 days before his body was found washed up on Las Flores Beach further east of the Pier The coroner ruled that Gabaldon died as a result of drowning Most of his Malibu based surfing peers had attended Gabaldon s rosary His funeral was held at St Monica Catholic Church Santa Monica He is buried in Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery Six days prior to his death Gabaldon had submitted a poem for submission to the Santa Monica College literary magazine It was entitled Lost Lives where he describes the sea as capricious vindictive and where men do battle but still die Some see the poem as being somewhat prophetic in light of how he died The poem was published in its entirety in the now defunct Santa Monica Evening Outlook citation needed On September 7 2007 officials for the City of Santa Monica announced plans to commemorate the stretch of Santa Monica State Beach called the Ink Well and to post a plaque to honor Gabaldon s contribution to the sport of surf 12 The plaque was officially dedicated on February 7 2008 References edit La Tonya Rease Miles 2012 Review White Wash PDF The Public Historian 34 2 University of California Press 133 135 doi 10 1525 tph 2012 34 2 133 Streeter Kurt 1 June 2013 Riding a wave of history and commemoration in Santa Monica Retrieved 8 December 2016 via LA Times Pierson Dashel Celebrating the First African American Surfer Surfline Com Retrieved 2016 11 02 Stephen Nessen 2013 09 07 African American Surfers Challenge Stereotypes Only A Game Onlyagame legacy wbur org Retrieved 2016 11 02 Rachel Saltz 2011 09 22 White Wash a Documentary About Black Surfers Review The New York Times Retrieved 2016 11 02 Tambay A Obenson 2016 05 13 Black Surfer Documentary Whitewash Narrated By Ben Harper Black Thought Gets Release Date IndieWire Retrieved 2016 11 02 Santa Monica Mirror Nat Trives is Mister Santa Monica Archived from the original on 2007 06 18 Retrieved 2007 09 18 BRUCE S BEACH The City Project Cityprojectca org 2006 06 15 Retrieved 2016 11 01 City of Santa Monica PDF Santa monica org Retrieved 2016 11 01 Legendary Surfer Bob Simmons Legendarysurfers com Archived from the original on 2009 02 22 Retrieved 2016 11 01 Surfpatrouille Surfin Archived from the original on 2007 09 30 Retrieved 2007 05 21 City of Santa Monica PDF Santa monica org Retrieved 2016 11 01 Further reading editBooks Encyclopedia of Surfing by Matt Warshaw 1 Magazine articles Surfer Magazine Vol 24 8 August 1983 The Surfer s Journal Vol 14 1 Early Spring 2005 Newspaper articles Popular CC Youth Dies In Surf Tragedy Santa Monica Evening Outlook 6 June 1951 Grim Foreboding Stalks Through Lines Of Poem by Tragedy Fated Student Santa Monica Evening Outlook 14 June 1951 L A Then and Now In Whites Only Era an Oasis for L A s Blacks Cecilia Rasmussen Los Angeles Times 3 July 2005 2 External links editDirector of 12 Miles North a documentary about Nick Gabaldon discusses the making of the film Article in Santa Monica Daily Press Newspaper September 10 2007 permanent dead link Article about Nick Gabaldon News Story about Nick Gabaldon and Ink Well Beach Commemoration Photographs from the Ink Well Beach Nick Gabaldon Commemoration Event of February 7 2008 Encyclopedia of Surfing Books Matt Warshaw Archived from the original on 2009 02 09 Retrieved 2009 06 28 In Whites Only Era an Oasis for L A s Blacks Articles latimes com 2005 07 03 Retrieved 2016 11 01 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nick Gabaldon amp oldid 1179769693, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
