Ebony Beach Club 2025 Juneteenth Celebration At The Santa Monica Pier

PublishedJune 26, 2025

Santa Monica, CA–The Santa Monica Pier came alive this Juneteenth as the Ebony Beach Club hosted a powerful celebration honoring Black joy, freedom and community. Thousands gathered at the historic coastal landmark on June 19, for a full-day event that combined music, surf, and social justice, all set against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean.

The Voice of Black Los Angeles caught up with Ebony Beach Club Founder Brick, a surfer and DJ from Los Angeles. He spoke about the inspiration behind Ebony Beach Club and the importance of safe spaces to celebrate Black joy and self-expression. Brick wanted to pay homage to the original Ebony Beach Club in Santa Monica.

“Ebony Beach Club to me is about leisure entirely, I’m a surfer. I love the beach, I love the ocean and I also love music. To me, Ebony Beach Club was marrying those two things in a space of leisure.”

In 1957, a Black entrepreneur named Silas White a had the vision for the Ebony Beach Club. He purchased the Elks Lodge Building in Santa Monica but the city of Santa Monica sabotaged his plans, demolishing the building for an “urban renewal” project.

“The original Ebony Beach Club was shut down by the city of Santa Monica through eminent domain and it never had the opportunity to exist, although they had 2,000 members signed up,” Brick explained.

Ebony Beach Club’s Juneteenth celebration was organized largely with the support of the Black Lives Global Network Foundation, the philanthropic arm of BLM who sponsored the event. Several community organizations including WalkGoodLA, were also present and the event marked a major milestone in reclaiming historically Black spaces along California’s coast.

D’zhane’ Parker, BLM Global Network Foundation Senior Director, shared what Juneteenth means to her and why it was important for the organization to support Ebony Beach Club.

“Juneteenth to me means freedom day. It is the day we should be able to wear our heads high—no matter what it is we are going through–know our ancestors fought for us to be here.”

From 1:00p.m until 8:00p.m the Juneteenth celebration drew thousands of people from local residents, tourists, and activists, all coming together to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas.

The day began with community surf lessons, offering free ocean access to participants of all ages. Instructors from the Black Surfers Collective and the Aquatic Futures Foundation guided participants through waves, helping them experience the joy and healing power of the ocean.

As the sun climbed higher, the Santa Monica Pier transformed into a vibrant cultural festival. DJs and musical artists—including BRICK!, Dirty Dell, B4BYL3XIGIRL, Faucet, WaveIQ, Tomi Tribe, and Yonas Michael—filled the pier with high-energy. Crowds danced along the boardwalk and beach, creating a dynamic and joyful atmosphere filled with liberation and pride.

More than six decades later, the Ebony Beach Club Juneteenth celebration represented a symbolic return to Silas Black’s dream, turning the pier into a living embodiment of cultural reclamation.

Juneteenth on the Santa Monica Pier served as a vivid reminder that the beach belongs to everyone. By blending history, culture, activism, and celebration, the Ebony Beach Club and its partners brought thousands together in a shared moment of healing, unity, and pride. This event will likely set the tone for future Juneteenth celebrations in Southern California, and continues to inspire conversations about racial justice, environmental access, and cultural legacy on the West Coast.