Rosalia Marenco | Staff Writer
In celebration of Black History Month, we look back on an era when Black roller skating rinks were a popular pastime during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Roller skating became an outlet for Black individuals to skate freely despite discrimination. Regardless of their personal and social hardships, Black individuals were able to create a symbol to break free of the barriers that were not only presented in the rink, but through American history.
In the 1950s, skating rinks offered only one night per week where the Black community could come together. This night was originally called “Black Night,” but got changed to different code names such as “Soul Night” and “Martin Luther King Night” during the Civil Rights movement. Because everything was still segregated during this time, clothing and music policies discriminated against the stylization and culture of Black communities.
As the rich history of Black roller skating started to develop, places such as Central Park, New York and Los Angeles, Calif. were the first city sanctuaries for the Black skating culture. Due to segregation, the Black community was kept out of indoor skating rinks. Therefore skating on the streets of these cities became a way of expression and freedom. Another place of refuge from discrimination was Venice Beach, which became the epicenter of roller dancing. Roller Dreams (2017) is a documentary focused on the history of roller skating and roller dancing in Venice Beach, Calif. from 1979 to present day. Because of this, roller dancing became a global phenomenon.
However, one of the most famous instances of roller skating intersecting with the Civil Rights Movement included a man named Ledger Smith, which was all over the news in the Washington Post. Leading up to Martin Luther King Jr.’s incredibly well known “I Have a Dream” speech, Smith skated 685 miles to attend this monumental moment in history. This in itself was a statement that contributed to the strength and power of the Black community.
Even during a pandemic, roller skating has resurged as an American pastime. Now, many roller skaters recognize the historical ties roller skating has to the Black community, especially during the Civil Rights era. In the midst of the Black Lives Matter movement that regained momentum in the summer of 2020, Ana Coto created Tik Tok videos of her roller skating while also sharing how the “black history of roller skating is an inspiration.” Being able to recognize the rich Black culture and history behind roller skating, even during these times, is necessary in understanding why it is the bridge for Black Americans to find freedom and security.
If interested, skating rinks around town are still open for business. Now more than ever, individuals at La Sierra University can understand how roller skating contributed to the movement toward equal rights and freedom.La Sierra University embraces diversity, while making it an integral part of its community
Skating Rinks near Riverside, California: