Help with my History work.

#26
#26
Donvolson said:
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?
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Brodus was not the first black kicker in the SEC.
 
#28
#28
Here are a few Youtube links pertaining to Condredge Holloway and the aforementioned documentary about his career, which was entitled "The Color Orange":

(1) The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story Trailer (The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story Trailer - YouTube )

(2) Condredge Holloway on the documentary "The Color Orange" (Condredge Holloway on the documentary "The Color Orange" - YouTube )

(3) The Artful Dodger - Condredge Holloway (The Artful Dodger - Condredge Holloway - YouTube )

(4) ESPN's Year of the Qua...: Is It A Tennessee Vols Myth? Condredge Holloway - The Artful Dodger (Is It A Tennessee Vols Myth? Condredge Holloway - The Artful Dodger - YouTube ).

Note: Lester McClain said of Condredge's performance on this play: "Only in a cartoon can you get away that way."
 
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#29
#29
peerless98 said:
Jackie Walker - UT's first black All-American

The Jackie Walker Story » Metro Pulse
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This story was a terrific read. When I first became aware of UT football as youngster in the late 1960's, Jackie Walker was one of those larger-than-life heroes in orange that I used to look up to as a kid.

The trio of linbackers then (Reynolds, Kiner and Walker) was as good a collection of talent as there has ever been assembled in college football history.
 
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#30
#30
Joe Frazier vs. Schmitt I and II from the 1930's in boxing if you want to expand to the professional level, and then compare compensation for blacks and whites.
 
#35
#35
esarmstrong said:
This story was a terrific read. When I first became aware of UT football as youngster in the late 1960's, Jackie Walker was one of those larger-than-life heroes in orange that I used to look up to as a kid.

The trio of linbackers then (Reynolds, Kiner and Walker) was as good a collection of talent as there has ever been assembled in college football history.
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While it is a well written story, it really could use a follow up. Jackie has since been inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. I helped his brother, Marshall, put the presentation together. Strangely enough, I used an old TN football card (the ones produced for the 100 years celebration) as a template for one of the framed documents.
 
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#36
#36
stephenk24 said:
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
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Good to speak to you again Stephen. I currently teach (adjunct) history for a local university and I have some ideas that may interest you.

Specifically, Tennessee State University was quite successful for black athletes. From the early 1950s until the 1970s, TSU literally dominated the Track and Field competitions, including the Olympics. You may want to specifically give Wilma Rudolph a look.

Secondly, I would have a look at Lester McClain, who would become the first African-American athlete at UT. IN 1971, Lester Robinson became the first African-American athlete to receive a varsity scholarship to play basketball. Both of these would be interesting subjects to explore.


Question: why such a topic that is so narrow? Does it have to be so concentrated?
 
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#38
#38
Probably a stretch, but I want to say that Brent Schaeffer was the first player in the SEC to start at QB as a True Freshman... It was something like that.. Again, might not be relevant - but an interesting tidbit...

Also, if you do a quick google search you will see that a few years ago Charlie Strong publicly stated that him being African American and married to a white woman was a big reason why he had not (at the time) been offered any head coaching jobs.. Obviously this was just his opinion and I'm sure plenty of ADs denied this being a contributing factor, but depending on the direction you want your paper to go, this bit could seque into a portion describing how race continues to play an important role in college athletics.....

Lastly, I remember there being issue when Wade Houston was UT's head basketball coach. It was customary for Cherokee County Club to provide membership to the head football and basketball coaches at UT, but they were also a "whites - only" club. When Wade Houston (an African American) became head coach, nobody was sure what would happen. In the end, Cherokee granted Wade Houston membership I think, but I could be wrong... Here is an article from 1989 stating that Houston was denied membership.. Some older members on this board could probably provide more insight: Racial Decision Angers Black Leaders : U. of Tenn. Urged to Demand Country Club Admission for Coach - Los Angeles Times
 
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#39
#39
mrorange211 said:
Good to speak to you again Stephen. I currently teach (adjunct) history for a local university and I have some ideas that may interest you.

Specifically, Tennessee State University was quite successful for black athletes. From the early 1950s until the 1970s, TSU literally dominated the Track and Field competitions, including the Olympics. You may want to specifically give Wilma Rudolph a look.

Secondly, I would have a look at Lester McClain, who would become the first African-American athlete at UT. IN 1971, Lester Robinson became the first African-American athlete to receive a varsity scholarship to play basketball. Both of these would be interesting subjects to explore.


Question: why such a topic that is so narrow? Does it have to be so concentrated?
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You consider the role of African American athletes during the Civil Rights Movement to be a narrow focus?!?! :crazy:
 
#43
#43
mrorange211 said:
Good to speak to you again Stephen. I currently teach (adjunct) history for a local university and I have some ideas that may interest you.

Specifically, Tennessee State University was quite successful for black athletes. From the early 1950s until the 1970s, TSU literally dominated the Track and Field competitions, including the Olympics. You may want to specifically give Wilma Rudolph a look.

Secondly, I would have a look at Lester McClain, who would become the first African-American athlete at UT. IN 1971, Lester Robinson became the first African-American athlete to receive a varsity scholarship to play basketball. Both of these would be interesting subjects to explore.


Question: why such a topic that is so narrow? Does it have to be so concentrated?
Click to expand...

This is an excellent point for the original poster to consider. Programs like Tennessee State, Grambling, etc. were absolute powerhouses in football in the pre-integration era, as evidenced by the high number of NFL draftees which they annually produced. Now that African-Americans can freely attend any university for which they meet admissions standards, historically black institutions like TSU have very few players selected for the draft.
 
#44
#44
DjCrenshaw said:
Joe Frazier vs. Schmitt I and II from the 1930's in boxing if you want to expand to the professional level, and then compare compensation for blacks and whites.
Click to expand...


I presume that you had a momentary brain cramp and are referring to Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling (Max Schmeling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ). Incidentally, the racially charged Olympics of 1936 and Jesse Owens' exploits in those Games would certainly provide grist for the original poster's scholarly mill.

Additionally, should he wish to examine the nexus between African-American athletes and Civil Rights-era politics, Mohammad Ali's role as a lightning rod would also be worthy of commentary.
 
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#45
#45
Might want to check out a film called "Glory Road" about the first all African American basketball team. I think its about Texas Western University who went to the NCAA championship in 1966.
 
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#50
#50
dudley said:
Might want to check out a film called "Glory Road" about the first all African American basketball team. I think its about Texas Western University who went to the NCAA championship in 1966.
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Absolutely. I had meant to post this earlier. Texas Western University, now the University of Texas-El Paso, beat Adolph Rupp's #1 ranked all-white Kentucky Wildcats, 72-65. See:

(1) 1966 NCAA Basketball Championship - YouTube

(2) Glory Road: 1966 NCAA Championship Part 1 of 2 - YouTube

(3) Glory Road: 1966 NCAA Championship Part 2 of 2 - YouTube

(4) GLORY ROAD: The True Story of Triumph Over Segregation in NCAA Basketball (GLORY ROAD: The True Story of Triumph Over Segregation in NCAA Basketball - YouTube )

(5) "And The Wheels Turned," a UTEP student produced documentary on the NCAA championship game of
("And The Wheels Turned," a UTEP student produced documentary on the NCAA championship game of 1966 - YouTube )
 
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