Walking on Water: A Brief History on Black Surfers

Many are familiar with the famous Inkwell destination of Martha’s Vineyard, but America also has another beach with a similar history — in Los Angeles. From the 1900s — 1960s African Americans found leisure and community in a stretch of Santa Monica beach around Bay Street sometimes called “The Inkwell”.

Today, a cohort of educators and sports enthusiasts are reconnecting Black + Brown Los Angeles youth to their heritage at the beach through the power of surfing.