Help with my History work.

#1
stephenk24

stephenk24

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#1
Hey guys,

I am studying US civil rights from Reconstuction till Obama's re election at school. I am absolutely loving it, I find it fascinating. But I digress...

Part of the course is producing a piece of coursework (a long essay) which counts as half of my grade for this year.

You can choose any topic surrounding the course to write about, so my choice is... Drum roll, how significant was the role of African American athletes in the civil rights movement.

Now what I could do with a hand from you guys with is some recommendations. Specifically to do with the vols.

Are there any Vols players or coaches that specifically were significant in civil rights? Seeing as the south features heavily, was there a sort of Jackie Robinson type athlete that went to Tennessee that affected Southern White views of African Americans?

Any sort of recommendation of an article, book, film would be great. I need to do my research starting now to write it next January. Or just an athlete to research would be good.

Failing that, any good material on college football and African American athletes?

This will help form part of my argument.

Thanks so much,

Stephen
 
#4
#4
As is already posted. Holloway. Espn did a special tv documentary called "the condredge holloway story". You might want to see about downloading or getting a copy. A must see for any vol fan, and is partially on point with your assignment
 
#7
#7
Also look into the interaction of Bear Bryant and segregation. I was in Alabama when he integrated the team and it was entertaining to say the least.
 
#8
#8
Definitely.....Condredge Holloway.

In the early 70s, having a black guy to play the key 'thinking/leadership' position of quarterback....in the Southeastern Conference....it was mind boggling at the time.
 
#9
#9
If you want to widen your perspective a bit, look into American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Summer Olympics. I remember their demonstration on the medal podium being a bit controversial at the time, but all the drama surrounding it has faded into history. In retrospect, much ado about nothing, but quite germane to the civil rights movement of the 60's and human rights in general.
 
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#10
#10
Yep, Holloway is the man. Also Brodus was the first african american kicker in the sec. I know it was not during the civil rights movement, but still noteworthy.Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain?
 
#11
#11
Also, take a look at how Penn State got their "We are Penn State" motto. That will give you some perspective of the times.
 
#12
#12
Doug Dickey broke the racial barrier at UT when he recruited Lester McClain from Antioch High School in 1968. Kentucky had recruited 2 black players the year before to break the SEC barrier. It was a tough row to hoe for McClain as he faced a lot of crap in some visiting stadiums. I was there.

Coach Dickey introduced Lester to the team and said, "Lester will be a success. It is up to each of YOU to make sure he doesn't face challenges he cannot overcome." I remember it well. McClain was specifically recruited because he was academic as well as athletic. Had he failed academically it would have led to volumes of "I told you so." Lester went on to become a state senator. Dickey was right. MUCH of the credit for breaking the barriers go directly to Coach Dickey. He did it the right way and ensured that it paved the way for future generations of student-athletes at the University of Tennessee.
 
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#13
#13
Jim Brown was one of the first bona fide African American sports stars in the US. He's got several books detailing his experiences in college and the NFL.

Also, Ernie Davis was the first African American Heisman winner.


That's right....I've seen the movie.
 
#15
#15
For what it is worth, Dickey also recruited Albert Davis from Alcoa TN. He was an absolute stud athlete on both the football field and basketball court. I tackled him one time and thought I had run into a train. However, there were academic concerns and Dickey refused to submit him to the academic pressures and scrutiny that would follow. He revoked his scholarship offer when there were potential academic issues around his entrance exam. It was not worth the potential harm to the future of black student-athletes nor to Davis. He went on to play in the NFL later (49ers I think).
 
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#17
#17
Lester McClain, Condredge Holloway, and Bear Bryant's coming of age regarding segregation are all good stories and would help bridge the gap from the 60's into the 70's.
 
#18
#18
Great responses guys. Thanks for all the pointers. I'm looking forward to researching and ultimately writing about some of this stuff. With the other athletes I am researching/going to research I should have some great content.
 
#22
#22
You should also look into Sam "Bam" Cunningham, a USC running back, who "had a notable performance (135 yards, 2 touchdowns) against an all-white University of Alabama football team, as USC beat Alabama 42-21 in Birmingham on September 12, 1970. His performance in the game was reportedly a factor in convincing the University of Alabama and its fans to let Coach Bear Bryant integrate Southern football. Jerry Claiborne, a former Bryant assistant, said, 'Sam Cunningham did more to integrate Alabama in 60 minutes than Martin Luther King did in 20 years.'

Despite the legend surrounding the story, Bryant had already taken a step toward integrating his team. Wilbur Jackson, the first African-American offered a scholarship by the University of Alabama, watched the game from the stands, ineligible to play as a freshman due to NCAA rules at the time" (Sam Cunningham - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ).

Perry Wallace (Perry Wallace - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ), however, was probably the first African-American to participate in any SEC sport. He enrolled at Vanderbilt in 1966 and first played in 1967.
 
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#25
#25
Looks like they have you pretty well fixed up. Haskel Stanback was also in there, approx. between McLain and Holloway, as best as I can recall
 
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