Filling a void within the illustration of black feminine skaters in skateboarding historical past is vital, and it helps whenever you’ve received Tony Hawk, journalists, newspapers and public librarians collaborating! The seek for Shaunda Shane of Fayetteville is significantly essentially the most heart-warming story.
All of it started when The Black Archives revealed a batch of images on September 21, 2024, with just a few crumbs of data: “North Carolina. Employees images taken in Fayetteville and surrounding areas (circa 1973-1987) by way of the Fayetteville Observer.” Tony was drawn to the picture of a younger black woman using her skateboard within the rain with an umbrella. It truly is a surprising picture. He then posted it to his Instagram account on November 2nd within the hopes that she was nonetheless round.
Journalist, Jeremy Markovich from North Carolina was alerted and started working. You possibly can learn the complete backstory on his on-line e-newsletter known as the “North Carolina Rabbit Gap,” and I completely approve of his methodology. First off, he turned to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, looking for out John O’Connor who works within the particular collections division. John then used his connections with the Cumberland County Public Library who owned the microfilm and inside a day Matt Morgan sourced the article and picture. Increase!!!! That’s the way it’s completed in library land. Jeremy additionally gave a shout out to Andrew Craft who had scanned the picture and posted it on-line for a Seventies function for the newspaper.
The unique picture was taken by Steve Aldridge and revealed on Saturday, January 20th, 1979, in The Fayetteville Observer. There was an extra picture that included two of Shaunda’s buddies, cruising down Dinsmore Drive with fashion. The captain states, “Freewheelin’ : Shandra [sic] Shane didn’t wish to get moist, however the thought of spending a Saturday with out her skateboard was an excessive amount of to deal with…”
In the meantime, the editorial employees at The Fayetteville Observer additionally received wind of Tony’s mission and revealed a cool function with 22 historic images of skate boarders from their archives, together with Shaunda and buddies, one other younger lady named Paula Findley from 1978 skating the Ridge Street in Fayetteville (Dick Blount picture) and two buddies skating from July 2, 1979 (Greg Smith picture).
F.T. Norton reported that Shaunda was ten-years-old when the picture shoot occurred. “Shane clearly remembers that day many moons in the past when Aldridge, the photographer, noticed her atop the skateboard her uncle purchased her and requested her to carry an umbrella” (Norton). These ruling uncles even supplied skateboards for Shaunda’s buddies! In Jeremy’s report, Shaunda shared that Aldridge lived throughout from her on Dinsmore Drive and requested permission from her grandparents for the picture, and steered the umbrella as a prop.
Shaunda was fairly dang cool as a result of, “whereas the opposite women caught with common previous rollerskates, Shane took to the skateboard and rode for years. ‘I’m the one one. I’d experience my skateboard, actually, day by day, all day” (Norton). She owned a number of skateboards all through her teen years, however suspects her unique set-up was run over by a automobile. By age 16, within the mid-Nineteen Eighties, Shaunda moved on to different issues however skateboarding nonetheless has a particular place in her coronary heart.
Even higher, Shaunda herself who’s now 56-years previous was receptive to re-creating the picture, rocking a candy pair of leather-based boots and classy knee-length coat, with an improve on the umbrella. The picture was taken by Andrew Craft. And it’s so cool that the Tony Hawk connection is creating such a buzz. Shaunda is stoked! Apparently, her son Kerahn McKinnon (19) is a skateboarder, and Shaunda gave skateboarding one other go final 12 months.
The perfect quote from Shaunda that Jeremy gleaned was how skateboarding made her really feel. “I used to be free… You’re outdoors. There’s the wind. There’s simply, like a freeness, you realize?” (Markovich). And I preferred to examine how devoted she was, studying tips and gaining confidence.
This story is one other nice reminder that public libraries are vital to our society. They’re a refuge to many, they include a treasure trove of data, and the employees are devoted to the reason for accessible data for all. Amen.
Please be sure the candidate you vote for at present is aligned with public libraries, freedom of data, and celebrating the accomplishments of black women and girls. You already know what to do!!!
Picture: Cheryl Thornton by Rodger Mallison
Now if I might solely persuade Tony Hawk to do a name out for one more elusive black feminine skater from the Seventies, Cheryl Thornton, who was the primary black feminine aggressive skateboarder that I’ve ever discovered from Fort Value, Texas again in Might 1977. Her picture is likely to be a tad tougher to re-create, however very cool all the identical!
Pictures: Andrew Craft, Dick Blount, Greg Smith, Rodger Mallison, Steve Aldridge
References:
- Markovich, Jeremy. “Tony Hawk wished to trace down a mysterious skateboarder from 1979. We discovered her.” North Carolina Rabbit Gap, November 4, 2024.
- Norton, F.T. “Who’s the skateboarding Fayetteville woman Tony Hawk known as his ‘new fav thriller skater’?” The Fayetteville Observer, November 4, 2024.