Houston Chronicle
Black skateboarders roll into the spotlight
From the ramps of Houston to the pages of Thrasher, local Black skateboarders such as Ty’Rae Carter and Derrick Hayes are getting their due.
By Camilo Hannibal Smith
Published December 13, 2020
It was a photo just like any other that had been taken of him skateboarding. Houston’s Ty’Rae Carter is seen floating in the air doing a tailgrab nosegrind at the edge of a skate ramp, the tallest in the city. He’s gripping the top of his board, his face etched in concentration. The trick was worthy of the picture, but the image ended up being worthy of something else: a historic moment in skateboard culture.