Fifty Years after the Black 14 were booted from the Team and their academic programs

[malaise]

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/12/02/after-50-years-wyoming-makes-amends-%E2%80%98black-14%E2%80%99
<snip>
Fifty years after the "Black 14," a group of activist players, was booted from the University of Wyoming football team for protesting racist treatment, the university is trying to make amends.

The university negotiated with the remaining members to determine how best to give back after derailing their academic and athletic careers, reported The Washington Post. Wyoming did not agree to the former players' proposal of honorary degrees or monetary compensation.

Wyoming officials organized an apology and historic marker for the former students during homecoming and invited them into classrooms to speak about their experiences.

The Black 14 football players wanted to wear black armbands to symbolize their unity against racism from the Brigham Young University team supporters, but the Cowboys' white coach said this violated the team's policy against protesting and cut them from the team. Many of the players were at Wyoming on football scholarships that they then lost.

A scholarship has been set up to support diverse students on campus, and the surviving Black 14 were given letterman jackets. The remaining members were welcomed back as Cowboys once again after being wronged half a century ago.

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How long is too long for this racist shit to continue?

[madaboutharry]

1. It is never going to end.

I have come to conclude that some people have brains that are wired to be hateful. They are lost causes.

[Sherman A1]

2. They should receive their degrees

And the money. Until then, I think it should be an FU to UofW.

[hatrack]

3. "Oh, you're still alive? Here's a letter jacket - sorry 'bout that!!"

I would have told my Alma motherfucker to bite me.

[yardwork]

4. I remember when this happened. I've despised Brigham Young ever since.

And my contempt for Wyoming continues. They refused to give the surviving players honorary degrees?!

[fishwax]

5. a few articles with much more depth and nuance

Thank you for posting this, Malaise. This is an important story that only in recent years has become more widely known. Their actions and sacrifice had a real and dedinite impact.

I think the article in inside higher ed focuses on conflict in a story that is better framed as one of progress and reconciliation. I don't disagree that the pkayers deserve more (at the least, they should all be in the Cowboy Hall of Fame), but hopefilly as the relationship continues this won't be the end of the university's recognition and tribute to these players.

Here's the original article from the Washington post that the inside higher ed article is referencing. It gives a lot more details about the process by which the homecoming celebration of the Black 14 was negotiated, what it entailed, and how the living members who attended reacted:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/fifty-years-after-the-black-14-were-banished-wyoming-football-reckons-with-the-past/2019/11/30/fb7e9286-e93d-11e9-9c6d-436a0df4f31d_story.html

Here's an article from The Crisis fron earlier in Septem er that gives a lot of background: https://www.thecrisismagazine.com/single-post/2019/09/09/The-Black-14

Here's an article from the Casper Star Tribune that gives a look into each of the players' lives after they were kicked off the team: https://trib.com/sports/college/wyoming/football/whatever-happened-to-wyoming-s-black-after-being-dismissed-years/article_0dc27ddb-5feb-584b-a5c2-b3e4b5ac2022.html

[malaise]

6. Thanks for those links

Someone sent me the WP article