Nicolás Rolando Gabaldón 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. 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. 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. In 1924, after the forced closure of black owned and operatedBruce's Beach 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. The area remains popular with African American Angelenos up through present day.
On June 5, 1951, Gabaldón died when he crashed into the Malibu Pier 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 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 newspaper Santa Monica Evening Outlook There is also a brief reference to Gabaldón's death in the 1957 novel, "Gidget" by Frederick Kohner. He is not mentioned by name, but in the story, the protagonist, Franzie, refers to her parents being opposed to her surfing because of what happened to that "colored boy" who crashed into the pier. No such reference is made in any of the subsequent films. 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. The plaque was officially dedicated on February 7, 2008.
