From seeing today’s college football league where African American athletes make up more than half players in the league. Throughout the twentieth century there were many struggles for the player who endured physical injuries, segregation and success. It was hard to see the great struggle the African American’s player when through to just become part of the college football team.
In the early 1880’s it was difficult for African American athletes to join non integrated schools. Since the Jim Crow laws that were legalized in 1896 it allowed the legal separation of whites and colors from participating in the activities such as school and sports. Although as time went on times were changing and even though many African Americans were hesitant …show more content…
The first Black athlete to join the freshman team in 1888 was William Henry Lew for the School of Amherst College, Where he was an all- star popular player known for his skill. He later went on to graduating from Harvard; he became part of an inner circle for President Theodore Roosevelt, He was the first black assistant coach for Harvard, also during the Spanish war he enlisted in the group of the Rough riders. Although Lew was very successful and accomplished so many great things he was not praised or held to a heroic status as the players Jackie Robinson and Joe Louis (page 6) who had an influential presents in the late …show more content…
Although most schools used this unwritten rule, UCLA did not participate since they had three black excelling athletes (Kenneth Washington, Woodrow Strode, and Jackie Robinson) that played important roles on their team as starting positions on offence and defense. Even when some teams were allowing Black athletes to participate in sports, most schools in the south refused the idea of integration in sports especially with the more popular schools such as University of Alabama, Duke University and the University of Tennessee. (Page
In the early 1880’s it was difficult for African American athletes to join non integrated schools. Since the Jim Crow laws that were legalized in 1896 it allowed the legal separation of whites and colors from participating in the activities such as school and sports. Although as time went on times were changing and even though many African Americans were hesitant …show more content…
The first Black athlete to join the freshman team in 1888 was William Henry Lew for the School of Amherst College, Where he was an all- star popular player known for his skill. He later went on to graduating from Harvard; he became part of an inner circle for President Theodore Roosevelt, He was the first black assistant coach for Harvard, also during the Spanish war he enlisted in the group of the Rough riders. Although Lew was very successful and accomplished so many great things he was not praised or held to a heroic status as the players Jackie Robinson and Joe Louis (page 6) who had an influential presents in the late …show more content…
Although most schools used this unwritten rule, UCLA did not participate since they had three black excelling athletes (Kenneth Washington, Woodrow Strode, and Jackie Robinson) that played important roles on their team as starting positions on offence and defense. Even when some teams were allowing Black athletes to participate in sports, most schools in the south refused the idea of integration in sports especially with the more popular schools such as University of Alabama, Duke University and the University of Tennessee. (Page