"When you 're treated as a fourth-class citizen your whole life, it 's been drilled in that you 're inferior. But I have a great revelation: we all put our pants on the same way, and I proved that I belonged."(Ex-Piston) Earl Lloyd introduced the sport of basketball in the National Basketball Association (NBA) to many foreign and colored people around the United States in the 1960s. His impeccable leadership and bravery led him to become the very first black player in the NBA. He encountered discrimination and explored countless new ideas in achieving equality in American basketball. While many African Americans encountered discrimination, Earl Lloyd explored new ideas in social equality by starting integration in the NBA.
Earl Lloyd 's …show more content…
Most parts of the United States remained segregated for many decades. Earl Lloyd was born on April 3, 1928 during a time when discrimination was common. "Mr. Lloyd had never sat next to a white person before he was 21" (Riess) Lloyd lived in an extremely segregated society. The schools at the time were segregated in various ways. Almost all schools were separated in extremely racist ways, no kids of color were ever with white kids. "From kindergarten to college graduation, I never had a white classmate. It makes you pause, for a long time. And it 's not that long ago." (Shouler) Lloyd stated. Lloyd lived in the heart of discrimination. When he was born, Virginia, his hometown, was one of the most segregated places in the United States. Lloyd expressed, “I was born in 1928, in the heart of segregation. That was a desolate time. From the time you walked out of your house, there were no black officers, no black postmen, no black bus drivers.” (Moonfixer, Lloyd and Sean Kirst, 118) Segregation at this time was still a major issue. If you were born with black parents, your world changes. For that baby, life will forever be about inequality and discrimination. A black baby’s future was either nothing or having the slightest amount of money and work. "If you were a black baby born in segregated Virginia in 1928, your prospects were slim and none."(Corliss) Lloyd had to surpass all …show more content…
He became the first black player in the NBA by proving discrimination wrong. Earl Lloyd believed that "you owe the people that come behind you... Chuck Cooper, Sweetwater Clifton, myself, we made it a better place. If we didn 't do that, all of y 'all wouldn 't be there now. ' " (First black player recalls) Lloyd broke down a huge barrier joining the NBA. In college, he wasn 't able to play with white people. He encountered a terrible amount of discrimination in college. “While playing for Syracuse during the 1952-53 season, he wasn 't allowed to play at a preseason game at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, because he was black.” (First black player recalls) Lloyd proved to all schools and teams around the world that thought he was a great basketball player. Lloyd showed all the crowds that he was equal to everyone else. He explored many new ideas and shared them with thousands of inner cities around the
Earl Lloyd 's …show more content…
Most parts of the United States remained segregated for many decades. Earl Lloyd was born on April 3, 1928 during a time when discrimination was common. "Mr. Lloyd had never sat next to a white person before he was 21" (Riess) Lloyd lived in an extremely segregated society. The schools at the time were segregated in various ways. Almost all schools were separated in extremely racist ways, no kids of color were ever with white kids. "From kindergarten to college graduation, I never had a white classmate. It makes you pause, for a long time. And it 's not that long ago." (Shouler) Lloyd stated. Lloyd lived in the heart of discrimination. When he was born, Virginia, his hometown, was one of the most segregated places in the United States. Lloyd expressed, “I was born in 1928, in the heart of segregation. That was a desolate time. From the time you walked out of your house, there were no black officers, no black postmen, no black bus drivers.” (Moonfixer, Lloyd and Sean Kirst, 118) Segregation at this time was still a major issue. If you were born with black parents, your world changes. For that baby, life will forever be about inequality and discrimination. A black baby’s future was either nothing or having the slightest amount of money and work. "If you were a black baby born in segregated Virginia in 1928, your prospects were slim and none."(Corliss) Lloyd had to surpass all …show more content…
He became the first black player in the NBA by proving discrimination wrong. Earl Lloyd believed that "you owe the people that come behind you... Chuck Cooper, Sweetwater Clifton, myself, we made it a better place. If we didn 't do that, all of y 'all wouldn 't be there now. ' " (First black player recalls) Lloyd broke down a huge barrier joining the NBA. In college, he wasn 't able to play with white people. He encountered a terrible amount of discrimination in college. “While playing for Syracuse during the 1952-53 season, he wasn 't allowed to play at a preseason game at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, because he was black.” (First black player recalls) Lloyd proved to all schools and teams around the world that thought he was a great basketball player. Lloyd showed all the crowds that he was equal to everyone else. He explored many new ideas and shared them with thousands of inner cities around the