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while attempting a surfing move known as a "pier ride" or "shooting the pier". 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
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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. The plaque was officially dedicated on February 7, 2008.
265:, 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. The area remains popular with African American
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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
254:. This area of beachfront was informally referred to by names such as "Ink Well Beach", "Negro Beach", and other more derogatory names. In 1924, after the forced closure of black owned and operated
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Six days prior to his death, Gabaldón had submitted a poem for submission to the Santa Monica
College literary magazine. It was entitled
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descent at a time when many beaches were segregated and opportunities for minorities more limited than today. Despite being an
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where he was accepted without question by several mainland surf pioneers. His friends and surf contemporaries included
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L.A. Then and Now: In 'Whites Only' Era, an Oasis for L.A.'s Blacks, Cecilia
Rasmussen, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2005
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Grim
Foreboding Stalks Through Lines Of Poem by Tragedy Fated Student, Santa Monica Evening Outlook, 14 June 1951
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ruled that Gabaldón died as a result of drowning. Most of his Malibu-based surfing peers had attended Gabaldón's
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during the 1940s. Gabaldón taught himself how to surf at a 200-foot roped off stretch of demarcated
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Director of 12 Miles North, a documentary about Nick
Gabaldon discusses the making of the film
547:"Black Surfer Documentary "Whitewash" Narrated By Ben Harper, Black Thought Gets Release Date"
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Photographs from the Ink Well Beach/Nick
Gabaldon Commemoration Event of February 7, 2008
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Popular CC Youth Dies In Surf
Tragedy,Santa Monica Evening Outlook, 6 June 1951
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competitive surfer, he is widely considered a role model for his part in the
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238:. Very little is known of his childhood. He lived most of his life in
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329:. Since he did not own a vehicle, Gabaldón would either get there by
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495:"African-American Surfers Challenge Stereotypes | Only A Game"
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Article in Santa Monica Daily Press
Newspaper September 10, 2007
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News Story about Nick
Gabaldon and Ink Well Beach Commemoration
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349:, Gabaldón did this water commute each day for several weeks.
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448:"Riding a wave of history and commemoration in Santa Monica"
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806:"Encyclopedia of Surfing | Books | Matt Warshaw"
520:"'White Wash,' a Documentary About Black Surfers — Review"
571:"Santa Monica Mirror: Nat Trives is Mister Santa Monica"
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234:, California. His mother was Black and his father was
46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
831:"In 'Whites Only' Era, an Oasis for L.A.'s Blacks"
745:The Surfer's Journal, Vol 14, #1 Early Spring 2005
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242:, California and was one of 50 black students at
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187:(February 23, 1927 – June 6, 1951) was an early
470:"Celebrating the First African-American Surfer"
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352:Gabaldón died when he crashed into the Malibu
219:and African American history in the areas of
886:United States Navy personnel of World War II
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357:Flores Beach, further east of the Pier. The
341:to paddle the 12 miles to Malibu by way of
293:. Around 1949, Gabaldón began surfing in
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
742:Surfer Magazine, Vol. 24 #8, August 1983
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367:St. Monica Catholic Church, Santa Monica
230:Gabaldón was born February 23, 1927, in
734:Encyclopedia of Surfing by Matt Warshaw
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44:adding citations to reliable sources
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596:"BRUCE'S BEACH - The City Project"
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211:recreational surfer rather than a
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896:Deaths by drowning in California
545:Tambay A. Obenson (2016-05-13).
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648:"Legendary Surfer: Bob Simmons"
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31:needs additional citations for
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425:University of California Press
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199:'s first documented surfer of
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891:United States Navy reservists
881:Sportspeople from Los Angeles
493:Stephen Nessen (2013-09-07).
408:La'Tonya Rease Miles (2012).
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384:Santa Monica Evening Outlook
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876:Sports deaths in California
782:Article about Nick Gabaldon
518:Rachel Saltz (2011-09-22).
167:, California, United States
148:, California, United States
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677:"Surfpatrouille - Surfin'"
371:Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery
365:. His funeral was held at
499:Onlyagame.legacy.wbur.org
433:10.1525/tph.2012.34.2.133
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325:aka "Bob Simmons". and
269:up through present day.
252:Santa Monica State Beach
244:Santa Monica High School
185:Nicolás Rolando Gabaldón
132:Nicolás Rolando Gabaldón
347:Encyclopedia of Surfing
285:, Gabaldón enrolled in
702:"City of Santa Monica"
621:"City of Santa Monica"
337:, or he would use his
457:– via LA Times.
335:Pacific Coast Highway
323:Robert Wilson Simmons
277:After serving in the
835:Articles.latimes.com
750:Newspaper articles:
652:Legendarysurfers.com
417:The Public Historian
410:"Review: White Wash"
345:. According to the
287:Santa Monica College
40:improve this article
739:Magazine articles:
195:experts with being
191:who is credited by
525:The New York Times
369:. He is buried in
250:which was part of
217:history of surfing
600:Cityprojectca.org
468:Pierson, Dashel.
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839:. Retrieved
837:. 2005-07-03
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474:Surfline.Com
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451:. Retrieved
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389:
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378:"Lost Lives"
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327:Les Williams
307:Mickey Munoz
283:World War II
279:Navy Reserve
276:
240:Santa Monica
229:
221:Santa Monica
213:professional
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165:Santa Monica
159:(1951-06-06)
157:June 6, 1951
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38:Please help
33:verification
30:
866:1951 deaths
861:1927 births
427:: 133–135.
331:hitchhiking
319:Buzzy Trent
315:Matt Kivlin
311:Ricky Grigg
263:segregation
258:and due to
232:Los Angeles
146:Los Angeles
855:Categories
841:2016-11-01
816:2009-06-28
714:2016-11-01
687:2007-05-21
662:2016-11-01
633:2016-11-01
606:2016-11-01
581:2007-09-18
556:2016-11-02
531:2016-11-02
504:2016-11-02
479:2016-11-02
453:8 December
395:References
225:California
197:California
138:1927-02-23
66:newspapers
551:IndieWire
339:surfboard
303:Greg Noll
291:lifeguard
267:Angelenos
96:June 2008
260:de facto
731:Books:
359:coroner
333:on the
281:during
209:amateur
193:surfing
177:Surfing
80:scholar
363:rosary
295:Malibu
236:Latino
205:Latino
189:surfer
82:
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705:(PDF)
624:(PDF)
423:(2).
413:(PDF)
248:beach
87:JSTOR
73:books
455:2016
354:Pier
223:and
203:and
154:Died
128:Born
59:news
429:doi
42:by
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