Community members gathered on Thursday, February 7, to celebrate the unveiling by the City of Santa Monica of a monument marking a section of beach near Bay Street that was once referred to as the “Ink Well” – a restricted area of the beach available for African-Americans. Racial restrictions were eliminated on California’s beaches in 1927, but many African-Americans from Santa Monica and Venice felt more comfortable on this stretch of beach long after that time. Nicolas Gabaldon, a 1940s graduate of Santa Monica High School and the first documented African-American surfer, taught himself to surf there. The plaque is engraved with the words: “The Ink Well: A Place of Celebration and Pain,” and gives a brief history.
INK WELL: HATE TO HARMONY:
Newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and events in Santa Monica and the surrounding areas!
DIGITAL
RECENT POSTS
Beloved West Hollywood Cookie Shop Expanding to Santa Monica
Junior Cookies has developed a loyal following in West Hollywood for its fresh, small-batch baked goods Junior Cookies, the West...
Read morePOPULAR
ASTEME Camps Explore Science, Technology, Math and Engineering
Many teachers and parents hear this question daily when it comes to schooling: “When am I ever going to use...
Read more