SaMO FUND Stories
people and community of the Santa Monica Mountains
The Story of Ballard Mountain
TO RIGHT A WRONG: THE STORY OF BALLARD MOUNTAIN
John Ballard and his family, originally from Kentucky, became the first Black homesteaders in the Santa Monica Mountains, when they purchased 160 acres of land in 1880.
Ballard was an accomplished man, an accolade that members of his family continue to uphold. They did however face dreadful racism, but refused to leave their home. The injustice persisted and the 2,031-foot peak in their land was named as a racial slur. In 2010, the peak was renamed ‘Ballard Mountain’. The short film below details the renaming campaign and chronicles the inspirational resiliency of the Ballard family.
Listen to the Podcast exploring this story from our local NPR station, KCLU