Lesson of the Day: ‘Black Surfers Reclaim Their Place on the Waves’

Lesson Overview

Featured Article: “Black Surfers Reclaim Their Place On the Waves” by Diane Cardwell

The history of surfing in the Black community can be traced to centuries-old African practices of wave-riding. Although many Black Americans were separated from that tradition because of slavery and racism, many learned Polynesian surfing in the mid-1900s on segregated beaches. Today, many Black surfers are talking about their shared history and the continuing racism in the surfing community.

In this interactive article, you will learn about Black surfers through images, videos and interview excerpts. Then, you will reflect on the themes in the article and learn more about the histories, and present-day experiences, of Black surfers.

Warm-Up

Scroll through the article and look at the photographs and video clips. In general, what do you notice? What tone do the images set for the article? What emotions do you feel as you look at them?

Then, choose one photograph to focus on and respond to these questions:

• What is happening in the image?

• What details stand out to you?

• How does the image make you feel? What memories does it evoke from your life?

Questions for Writing and Discussion

Read the article, then answer the following questions:

1. What is a paddle-out? What are some of the reasons that Black surfers have organized paddle-outs in the past year and a half?

2. What does surfing mean and represent for Black surfers in particular?

3. How does Natalie Hubbard, a surgeon and surfer who is part of the Laru Beya Collective, connect the history of surfing in the Black community to the present day?

4. What is the history of the Ink Well beach? How were actions taken there similar to other actions taken during the civil rights movement?

5. How was the Black Surfing Association started? And how has it grown in the years since the 1970s?

6. What are some of the ways that brands and movies have begun to support Black surfers?

Going Further

In a class discussion or in your journal, reflect on what you’ve just read. What are your reactions to the article? What questions do you have after reading it? What was one image or quotation that you found particularly powerful? In what ways do the themes in the article relate to your life and experiences?

Additional Teaching and Learning Opportunities

• Read about a community of Black female surfers. Gabriella Angotti-Jones, a documentary photographer, shares about her surfing community through photographs and a first-person narrative. How does her story connect to the article you just read?

• Check out the Instagram account of Hunter Jones. In place of entering competitions, he focuses on creating his own content for social media. What do you notice as you scroll through his posts?

• Learn about Duke Kahanamoku. He was born in Honolulu in 1890 and won a total of five swimming medals in the Olympics in the early 20th century, but also navigated two cultures and two sports: swimming and surfing. How does the story of Duke’s life provide insights about the history of surfing in the United States?

• Watch a video. The beginning of the article quotes Sharon Schaffer, the first Black woman to become a professional surfer. Watch this six-minute video of her speech to the surfing community, or the trailer for the 2011 documentary about Black surfers, “White Wash.” How do these short videos add to your understanding of the challenges and triumphs of Black surfers?

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