Filling a void in the representation of black female skaters in skateboarding history is critical, and it helps when you’ve got Clyde Singleton, Tony Hawk, journalists, newspapers and public librarians collaborating! The search for Shaunda Shane of Fayetteville is seriously the most heart-warming story.
It all began when The Black Archives published a batch of photographs on September 21, 2024, with a few crumbs of information: “North Carolina. Staff photos taken in Fayetteville and surrounding areas (circa 1973-1987) via the Fayetteville Observer.” Tony was alerted by pro skater Clyde Singleton of this cool image of a young black girl riding her skateboard in the rain with an umbrella. It really is a stunning photo, and as an advocate for the history of black skateboarders, Clyde knew the value of finding a photo of a black female skater from this era. He then posted it to his Instagram account on November 2nd in the hopes that she was still around.
Journalist, Jeremy Markovich from North Carolina was alerted and got to work. You can read the full backstory on his online newsletter called the “North Carolina Rabbit Hole,” and I absolutely approve of his method. First off, he turned to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, seeking out John O’Connor who works in the special collections department. John then used his connections with the Cumberland County Public Library who owned the microfilm and within a day Matt Morgan sourced the article and image. Boom!!!! That’s how it’s done in library land. Jeremy also gave a shout out to Andrew Craft who had scanned the image and posted it online for a 1970s feature for the newspaper.
The original photo was taken by Steve Aldridge on Saturday, January 20th, 1979 and published the next day in The Fayetteville Observer. There was an additional photo that included two of Shaunda’s friends, cruising down Dinsmore Drive with style. The captain states, “Freewheelin’ : Shandra [sic] Shane didn’t want to get wet, but the idea of spending a Saturday without her skateboard was too much to handle…”
Meanwhile, the editorial staff at The Fayetteville Observer also got wind of Tony’s mission and published a cool feature with 22 historical photos of skateboarders from their archives, including Shaunda and friends, another young woman named Paula Findley from 1978 skating the Ridge Road in Fayetteville (Dick Blount photo) and two buddies skating from July 2, 1979 (Greg Smith photo).
F.T. Norton reported that Shaunda was ten-years-old when the photo shoot happened. “Shane clearly remembers that day many moons ago when Aldridge, the photographer, spotted her atop the skateboard her uncle bought her and asked her to hold an umbrella” (Norton). These ruling uncles even provided skateboards for Shaunda’s friends! In Jeremy’s report, Shaunda shared that Aldridge lived across from her on Dinsmore Drive and asked permission from her grandparents for the photo, and suggested the umbrella as a prop.
Shaunda was pretty dang cool because, “while the other girls stuck with regular old rollerskates, Shane took to the skateboard and rode for years. ‘I’m the only one. I would ride my skateboard, literally, every day, all day” (Norton). She owned several skateboards throughout her teen years, but suspects her original set-up was run over by a car. By age 16, in the mid-1980s, Shaunda moved on to other things but skateboarding still has a special place in her heart.
Even better, Shaunda herself who is now 56-years old was receptive to re-creating the image, rocking a sweet pair of leather boots and stylish knee-length coat, with an upgrade on the umbrella. The photo 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 another go last year.
The best quote from Shaunda that Jeremy gleaned was how skateboarding made her feel. “I was free… You’re outside. There’s the wind. There’s just, like a freeness, you know?” (Markovich). And I liked to read about how dedicated she was, learning tricks and gaining confidence.
This story is another great reminder that public libraries are critical to our society. They are a refuge to many, they contain a treasure trove of information, and the staff are dedicated to the cause of accessible information for all. Amen.
Please make sure the candidate you vote for today is aligned with public libraries, freedom of information, and celebrating the accomplishments of black girls and women. You know what to do!!!
[Update May 2025: Check out the article from TransWorld about how this story evolved, resulting in a TV interview of Shaunda and Clyde on PBS North Carolina, and a limited edition skateboard deck with the iconic umbrella photo thanks to 102 Skateboards and Anthony Pappalardo!!]
Now if I could only convince Clyde and Tony to do a call out for a few more elusive black female skaters from the 1970s like Pam Cox and Cheryl Thornton, who was the first black female competitive skateboarder that I’ve ever found from Fort Worth, Texas back in May 1977. Her photo might be a tad more challenging to re-create, but very cool all the same!
Photo: Cheryl Thornton by Rodger Mallison
Photos: Andrew Craft, Dick Blount, Greg Smith, Rodger Mallison, Steve Aldridge
References:
- Markovich, Jeremy. “Tony Hawk wanted to track down a mysterious skateboarder from 1979. We found her.” North Carolina Rabbit Hole, November 4, 2024.
- Norton, F.T. “Who is the skateboarding Fayetteville girl Tony Hawk called his ‘new fav mystery skater’?” The Fayetteville Observer, November 4, 2024.
Womxn Skateboard History 