board culture

CRAIG SNYDER | WORKS

© 2016, Craig B. Snyder. All rights reserved.

BOARD CULTURE: HISTORY & RESEARCH

Since 2004, I have served as a historian, consultant, and curator for a number of publishing and film projects related to skateboarding, surfing, and punk culture, assisting producers, journalists, authors, publishers, and museum curators with their informational, fact-checking, and history needs. My specialties are the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Because of my East Coast roots and prior work as a photojournalist, I also have extensive knowledge of the Eastern United States scene. My recent book, A Secret History of the Ollie, covers a significant amount of (largely unknown) skateboarding and surfing history in the United States and the international scene as well.

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Today, much of skateboarding’s history is being lost or muddled by rumor, legend, spin, and even deception. Popular takes on historical events and personalities created by the skate press, mainstream media, and industry often hinder the true story. My primary motivation as a historian and consultant is to help maintain a balanced perspective, restore accuracy, and ensure integrity. My own interest in this subject as a skateboarder, photojournalist, and eyewitness has also led me to create books that will help to accurately preserve, expose, and/or recount some of this unique history.

Resources

My archives include complete sets of almost every skateboarding periodical published, beginning with the first issue of The Quarterly SkateBoarder in 1964, up to the present. I also maintain an archive of articles published by the mainstream press. These include LIFE, The New York Times and Sports Illustrated, among others. In addition, I have catalogued and photographed other skate-related items, from fliers and stickers, to skateboard equipment and other pieces of memorabilia. These same resources serve as an art library that can also be made available to any research or history project. Augmenting this collection, is my own photo archive which includes black and white photography, color slides, and 8mm and 16mm film.

Services

If you have any questions or specific needs for an educational or commercial project, be it photography, editorial services, research, or materials, please feel free to contact me. Fees vary and depend on the project. In some cases I have provided my services pro bono so don’t be afraid to ask. As a historian, I also work closely with Skateboarding Heritage Foundation, contributing content to their exhibitions and their website. SHF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preservation of skateboarding history and culture for current and future generations.

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