John Ballard
February is Black History Month and today we remember the significant contributions of John Ballard and the Ballard family to the Santa Monica Mountains, LA County and the rich tapestry of our community.
In 1859, John Ballard, a Black man from Kentucky, settled in Los Angeles and went on to play a pivotal role in founding the city's first African Methodist Episcopal Church.
In 1880, he moved with his family to the Santa Monica Mountains, acquiring 160 acres of land where they raised livestock and crops. Despite mistreatment and attempts to drive him away, the Ballard family persevered. His daughter, Alice, later became a homesteader, expanding the family's land.
John Ballard passed away in 1905, but his descendants continued to make significant contributions to LA County as pillars of the community.
In 2010, Ballard Mountain was given its name in honor of John Ballard and the momentous occasion was memorialized in the documentary film To Right a Wrong: The Story of Ballard. It also chronicles the inspirational resiliency of the Ballard family who overcame incredible hardships, exploring the important history of an African American family's journey in the Santa Monica Mountains and the City of Los Angeles. Its significance lies in serving as a reminder of the overlooked individuals who bequeathed our cities and parks to future generations.
The Santa Monica Mountains Fund and the National Park Service provided funding for the project.
Despite the heartbreaking history of road blocks put in place to marginalize and systemically eliminate Black American voices in scientific and environmental spaces, the community has time and again produced leaders and trailblazers in these fields. They have been instrumental in environmental justice, and many more are still shaping today’s most important conversations about climate, ecosystems, and wildlife.
When February comes to a close, SAMO Fund encourages everyone to continue to celebrate the strides that have been made possible by the Black community and other People of Color. Learn about the historic figures that bravely blazed the trails in their time and the current leaders carrying on that legacy of Environmental Justice.
