Bibliography

Civil Rights in Boxing:

1. Donelson, Tom. "Joe Louis as Civil Rights Pioneer." Boxinginsider.com. Boxinginsider, 20 Apr. 2008. Web. 10 Dec. 2012.
2.Wells, Harmony. "Muhammad Ali and the Civil Rights Movement." Helium.com. Helium, 28 Jan. 2008. Web.


Civil Rights in Baseball:




Civil Rights in the NHL:

 1, "O'Ree Breaks Hockey's Color Barrier with the Boston Bruins." The Play Of The Day With Mr. Austin. N.p., 29 Jan. 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2012.




Civil Rights in College Basketball:

1.Fitzpatrick, Frank. "Texas Western's 1966 Title Left Lasting Legacy." Espn.com. N.p., 19 Nov. 2003. Web. 9 Dec. 2012.

2."GLORY ROAD: The True Story of Triumph Over Segregation in NCAA Basketball." YouTube. YouTube, 13 Mar. 2009. Web. 09 Dec. 2012.



Civil Rights in Track and Field:

Civil

Civil Rights in Baseball

Civil Rights in Baseball

 

Along with many other sports, Baseball had a huge influence in Civil Rights.  Since black people were not allowed to play in the regular leagues they eventually made their own.  In 1920 an organized league structure came into play.  It was formed under Andrew "Rube" Foster, a former player and manager of Chicago American Giants.  Eventually a meeting held at the Paseo YMCA in Kansas City with Foster and a couple of other owners joined and created the Negro Leagues.  The Leagues actually had high professional skill and became the centerpiece of economic development in many black developments.

 

 

 

Jackie Robinson

 

In 1945, Major League's Brooklyn Dodgers recruited Jackie Robinson from the Kansas City Monarchs.  Robinson was the first African American player in Major League Baseball.  Although this was a huge deal and breakthrough in Baseball and civil rights it was also the decline in the Negro Leagues.

Jackie Robinson was an unbelievable athlete.  He went to University of California, and lettered in four sports.  While in the Major League Robinson played in six World Series, and contributed to the Brooklyn Dodgers 1955 World Championship.  He was also elected to six consecutive AllStar games, and was a recipient to the inaugural Rookie of the Year award. Robinson was also the first black man to win a National League MVP award.  Jackie Robinson was elected into the pro baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.  His jersey number 42 was "universally" retired in the major league. 

 

 

Civil Rights Movement in the NHL

Willie O'Ree: "The Jackie Robinson of Hockey"

On January 18, 1958, Willie O’Ree broke the National Hockey League’s color barrier  when he entered the game for the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens, O’Ree is referred to as the Jackie Robinson Of Hockey,” but is often erroneously referred to as the first African American hockey player, though, he is actually Canadian born. O’Ree was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick in 1935, and midway through his second minor league stint with the Quebec Aces, O’Ree was called up by the Boston Bruins to replace an injured player in 1958. 
  -->

Despite being  95% blind in his right eye, due taking a puck to the eye years earlier, O’Ree made his debut and kept his eye a secret, because it would have prevented him from playing in the NHL. O’Ree was recalled to the Bruins in 1961 playing 43 games, and scoring four goals and ten assists during that span. During his minor league career, O’Ree won two scoring titles in the Western Hockey League (WHL) between 1961 and 1974, scoring more than thirty of more goals four time, with a high of 38 in 1964-65 and in 1968-69. Most of O’Ree’s playing time was with the Los Angeles Blades and the San Diego Gulls. The Gulls retired his number at the San Diego Sports Arena. O’Ree continued to play in the minors until age 43.

 Willie O'Ree's Impact on the NHL

After O’Ree there was no other black player in the NHL until fellow Canadian Mike Marson was drafted by the Washington Capitals in 1974. Currently there are 17 black players in the NHL  as of the mid 2000’s with the most prominent including Canadian Jarome Iginla and American Mike Greer.  Art Dorrington was the first black player to sign an NHL contract with the New York Rangers, but Dorrington never played beyond the Minor League level. -->

-->

Civil Rights in Track and Field

Track and Field

Track and Field is a sport that is the main attraction to the Summer Olympic Games. Many countries use the Olympic games to show off the power of their country and the best athletes that the country can offer. The United States allowed African Americans to compete in track and field and they showed they were jsut as good as other athletes from all over the world.

 

 

Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens (September 12, 1913 – March 31, 1980) was an African American that competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a sprinter and long jumper. He achieved a feat that was unmatched until 1984 for the United states where he won four gold medals. He was the most successful athlete at the 1936 Summer Olympics where people thought the Germans, who were all white would dominate the games.

 

 

 

Tommie Smith and John Carlos

 

At the 1968 Summer Olympics, African American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos, held a silent protest during their medal ceremony in Mexico City. As they turned to face their flags and hear the American national anthem  they each raised an arm with a fist with a black glove.  All three men, including Australian silver medalist Peter Norman, wore human rights badges on their jackets. The event was one of the most overtly political statements in the history of the modern Olympic Games. In his autobiography, Tommie Smith stated that the gesture was not a "Black Power" salute, but a human rights salute for the world to see.

Civil Rights in College Basketball

African-Americans were introduced to basketball in the early 1900’s and it quickly grew on them.  By 1910 many young African-Americans enjoyed the game of basketball mostly because it was able to be played on any surface and required no real equipment.  Local YMCA’s promoted the game in black neighborhoods along with parks and playgrounds.  For many years African-Americans were not allowed to play in post-season college tournaments.  It wasn’t until 1947 when John Wodden, Head Coach at present day Indiana State University, had the policy reversed and the first African-American by the name of Clarence Walker played in a post-season game.  However, the struggle with racial inequality was only beginning in college basketball.

Texas Western Mens Basketball 1966

Texas Western's 1966 title left lasting legacy

 

In 1966 a man by the name of Don Haskins took a coaching job at Texas Western College, present day University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).  He set out to find the best basketball players in the country and did not care about the color of their skin unlike most other colleges in the country.  He went out and brought in seven African-American boys to add to his team.  In the middle of that season, Coach Haskin’s team lost a game that many can say was on purpose, only because the struggle with racism was starting to take its toll on his team.   Later that year Texas Western set an NCAA record when they started five African-American players in the championship game, which was a first for collegiate basketball.  They went on to win the championship over heavily favored Kentucky who was a completely white team. 







Civil Rights in Boxing

Boxing was one of the first sports that offered African Americans the chance to compete on the profession level. African American boxers began to integrate the sport during the early 1900s and immediately saw success as African American champions were crowned. Two great examples of African American boxers who played great roles in the Civil Rights Movement were Joe "The Brown Bomber" Louis and "The Greatest of All Time" Muhammad Ali. Both men affected the movement at different times and different ways. 

Joe Louis as Civil Rights Pioneer

Joe Louis was arguably one of the best profession boxers of his time. Fighting roughly through the 1930s to 1950, Joe Louis dominated the heavy weight division and held the title for 12 straight years. Louis wasn't the first black champion, but he was highly recognized and supported by the white community because of his gentleman personality and first class conduct when competing in sport. A full decade before Jackie Robinson put on a Dodgers Uniform, Louis had already dominated the sport of boxing and paved the way for African American athletes to participate and integrate in professional sports. 

Destination Freedom Radio

Muhammad Ali and the Civil Rights Movement

"I am America. I am the part you won't recognize. But get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me.” - Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali was a great heavyweight champion that can be noted as one of the great ones. His loud, slick, confident and rebel personality symbolized the radical times of the 60s and 70s. Ali was a great champion, but he was also a figure head in sports for the civil rights movement. His public image symbolized a more confident and bold black community that started to rise up and fight for the rights they deserved. Ali was praised by the black community, especially when he declined his invitation to join the army by way of the draft. Leaders like Martin Luther King praised Ali for his courage and bravery, believing others should follow in his footsteps. Although Ali felt his decision was the right one, he lost his boxing license, championship and was unable to box for about three years. Ali finally won his license back when he appealed his case and quickly rose through the ranks and won his belt back. 

.