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Century-Old Slur Erased From Santa Monica Mountains Maps
LATimes ^ | February 21, 2010

Posted on 02/21/2010 2:58:33 PM PST by Steelfish

Century-Old Slur Erased From Santa Monica Mountains Maps February 20, 2010

A century-old slur was erased Saturday as authorities ceremoniously renamed a Santa Monica Mountains peak to commemorate a black pioneer who established a homestead at its base in 1880.

What had long been designated on "Negrohead Mountain" on official maps is now "Ballard Mountain" in honor of John Ballard, who worked as a blacksmith and firewood vendor from his 160 acres in the Seminole Springs area.

About 25 of Ballard’s descendants were among a crowd of 90 who watched as a plaque bearing the settler’s name was unveiled near the site of his onetime homestead. It will be permanently placed next to Kanan Road’s north tunnel near the top of the 2,031-foot volcanic peak.

Reggie Ballard, the 85-year-old great-grandson of the pioneer, said he was pleased to see the old name wiped away.

"I don’t know what it means to Los Angeles as a whole but it means a lot to me," said the retired Los Angeles Fire Department captain who now lives in Banning.

"It’s not often you get a chance to right an historical wrong," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who helped nearby residents win approval of the name change with the U.S. Geological Survey. Marcia McNutt, the survey’s director, traveled from Washington to attend the ceremony.

Descendant Christopher Ballard, 19, of Long Beach said he and six others climbed Ballard Mountain, climbing over rocks and carving their own trail through brush. When he reached its peak, he said, it felt like he was on top of the world.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: language; namesake; negro; slur
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To: Steelfish

Negrohead Mountain”

LOL! I bet it had a different name years ago! Kind of like Negro Andy Canyon in NW New Mexico or “Bull shirt” springs in Nevada and “Naughty girl” meadows! AKA Bull$#!t springs and Whorehouse meadows, Nev.


21 posted on 02/21/2010 3:19:42 PM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: CounterCounterCulture
Can we still say "blacksmith?"

You'll be blackballed to the black hole of Calcutta.

22 posted on 02/21/2010 3:19:47 PM PST by paulycy (Demand Constitutionality.)
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To: upchuck

butthead.....my favorite tv show


23 posted on 02/21/2010 3:20:26 PM PST by wxgesr (I want to be the first person to surf on another planet.)
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To: paulycy

***I have yet to go to a mexican restaurant on either coast that doesn’t have a “Speedy Gonzalez” dish. ***

Any of them have nachos by THE FRITO BANDITO?


24 posted on 02/21/2010 3:20:57 PM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: Misterioso

Anyway, nearly 100% of the place names with “Negro”, sure weren’t called “Negro” 100 or more years ago.


25 posted on 02/21/2010 3:21:18 PM PST by muleskinner ("You know the Germans always make good stuff')
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To: pillut48

Same thing here in Nevada. I used to hunt chukar with my dad at N-word Creek, which was later changed to Negro Creek. Haven’t looked lately to see what it’s been changed to now, if at all. At least it wasn’t as bad as M-fer Mountain down in Central NV near Tonopah.


26 posted on 02/21/2010 3:23:34 PM PST by randog (Tap into America!)
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To: CounterCounterCulture

***Can we still say “blacksmith?” ***

I’m OFFENDED! I will go outside and cry on may anvil! I feel so slighted I might lame the next horse I shoe!

I got this great urge to start up the coal forge and create CO2 and SO2 while heating iron!


27 posted on 02/21/2010 3:26:01 PM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar ( Never hack off a blacksmith!)
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar
Any of them have nachos by THE FRITO BANDITO?

LOL! Haven't seen that.

I should have stated that I mean the little local mom and pop shops. The national chains wouldn't be caught dead with "Speedy Gonzalez" meals, even for the kids.

(PS: I really, really love authentic mexican food.)

28 posted on 02/21/2010 3:26:31 PM PST by paulycy (Demand Constitutionality.)
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To: Steelfish

I live in Indiana. We have a cave named with the “N” word included, as well as a road in the county I live in. The road is only known by that name by old timers. No one else would know. More revisionist history. No racial intentions.


29 posted on 02/21/2010 3:30:19 PM PST by caver (Obama: Home of the Whopper)
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To: Steelfish

My Mom has a 50 year old cook book called the “Ni$$er Toe Cook Book”. (cooking with brazil nuts) I’d better tell her to change the name to the “African American Toe Cook Book”!


30 posted on 02/21/2010 3:31:17 PM PST by albie
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To: FlingWingFlyer

“Is ‘negrohead’ a slur?”

Many of the “offensive” names on maps were revised around the 1970’s or so.

Have seen changes such as S*** Creek becoming Nasty Creek. One, in Arizona, is marked Negro Creek, but older maps show it as *i*g*r Creek!

One mountain range, inside the Air Force Gunnery Range in Arizona, now know as the Outhouse Mountains, IIRC, was know at the S*** House Mountains.

From a distance it looked like a giant outhouse! lol


31 posted on 02/21/2010 3:31:24 PM PST by outhousepatrol
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To: randog

We have a lake in sullivan county PA that was called niger lake on the map.I dont know if it has been changed yet but it propably has. I have to check on that.


32 posted on 02/21/2010 3:31:31 PM PST by TLEIBY308 (Keep yer powder dry and watch yer top Knot.)
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To: LibFreeOrDie

I’m fine as long as they leave Nellies Nipple alone...


33 posted on 02/21/2010 3:33:04 PM PST by NCjim ("You can't pick up a turd by the clean end", Bob Lonsberry on Obamacare)
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To: caver

Negro Creek will now be known as “Welfare Wash”.


34 posted on 02/21/2010 3:37:30 PM PST by outhousepatrol
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To: albie

***the “Ni$$er Toe Cook Book”. (cooking with brazil nuts)***

In my youth that is what they were called! Not Brazil nuts!and certan fireworks were NOT known as rat chasers.

Have you noticed that certain thissle seed for birds is not known by the simple name Niger seed but NYGER seed!


35 posted on 02/21/2010 3:39:21 PM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar ( Never hack off a blacksmith!)
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To: Steelfish

Outside Austin, there’s a creek that was once called “N——r Creek”. Wonder why they called it that? It was because if you followed it east it took you to “N——r Cemetary”. The libs got them changed in the 1970s.


36 posted on 02/21/2010 3:41:06 PM PST by OrangeHoof ("Barack Obama" is Swahili for "Bend over suckahs".)
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar

What about changing these names.
White river.
White sands beach
White hills
so on and so on.

When I was a kid a long time ago we had a hell of alot of fun going to Nigger bar on the American river in Caly. Still call it that even though they changed the name. Screw PC.


37 posted on 02/21/2010 3:44:16 PM PST by jedi150
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To: Steelfish

I don’t think it was considered a slur 100 years ago.


38 posted on 02/21/2010 3:46:16 PM PST by alice_in_bubbaland (Markets and Marxists Don't Mix! Audit the FED NOW!)
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To: paulycy
Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Image and video hosting by TinyPic
Wonder why these 'offensive' things are still around in the 21st century myself...
39 posted on 02/21/2010 3:46:22 PM PST by pillut48 ("Stand now. Stand together. Stand for what is right."-Gov.Sarah Palin, "Going Rogue")
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To: hemogoblin

“renamed the “Hills of Color.””

Jesse will want 20M and the name Rainbow Hills.


40 posted on 02/21/2010 3:47:15 PM PST by A Strict Constructionist (How long before we are forced to refresh the Tree of Liberty? Sic semper tryannis)
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