Theme: Sports
Sports
June 21, 1925: Black Baseball Team Beats Klan Players
The Wichita Monrovians bested a squad fielded by the white-supremacist Ku Klux Klan terrorist organization at the height of Jim Crow apartheid.
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Tigerbelle: The Wyomia Tyus Story
Book — Non-fiction. By Wyomia Tyus and Elizabeth Terzakis. 2018. 288 pages.
A young adult sports history that chronicles the life of Wyomia Tyus, the daughter of a tenant dairy farmer, who became the first person to win gold medals in the 100-meter sprint in two consecutive Olympic Games.
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A young adult sports history that chronicles the life of Wyomia Tyus, the daughter of a tenant dairy farmer, who became the first person to win gold medals in the 100-meter sprint in two consecutive Olympic Games.
April 7, 1954: Norfolk’s African American Baseball Fans Win Desegregation Victories
A successful boycott of the Norfolk Tars by Black sports fans leads the team to desegregate both the players and stadium seating.
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Oct. 17, 1969: 14 Black Student Athletes Fired at Hint of Protest
Fourteen Black football players at the University of Wyoming were fired when their coach learned they wanted to wear black armbands during a game against Brigham Young University.
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May 8, 1959: Mexican American Communities Evicted
Palo Verde, La Loma, and Bishop were close-knit Mexican American communities that were destroyed in the 1950s to make way for Dodger Stadium.
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Ballad of an American: A Graphic Biography of Paul Robeson
Book — Non-fiction. Written and illustrated by Sharon Rudahl. Edited by Paul Buhle and Lawrence Ware. 2020. 142 pages.
The first-ever graphic biography of Paul Robeson charts Robeson’s career as a singer, actor, scholar, athlete, and activist who achieved global fame.
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The first-ever graphic biography of Paul Robeson charts Robeson’s career as a singer, actor, scholar, athlete, and activist who achieved global fame.
Dec. 31, 1972: Roberto Clemente Dies
Puerto Rican Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash while traveling at great risk in response to urgent requests to deliver help to earthquake devastated Nicaragua.
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June 4, 1967: Muhammad Ali Summit
African American athletes gathered to support Muhammed Ali’s refusal to serve in Vietnam.
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July 4, 1910: Jack Johnson Defeats James J. Jeffries
African American heavyweight champion Jack Johnson successfully defended his title by knocking out James J. Jeffries, who had come out of retirement “to win back the title for the White race” in Reno, Nevada.
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Nov. 7, 1985: Court Ruling in Wrongful Case Against Rubin “Hurricane” Carter
U.S. District Court Judge handed down his decision to free Rubin “Hurricane” Carter who had been wrongfully accused of murder.
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April 22, 2004: Football Star Pat Tillman Killed in Afghanistan
Football star and soldier Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan. The U.S. government used his death in pro-war propaganda.
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Caribbean Connections: The Dominican Republic
Book — Non-fiction and Fiction. Edited by Gallin, Glasser, Santana. 2005. 250 pages.
Reader-friendly overview of the history, politics, and culture of the fourth largest Latino community in the United States.
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Reader-friendly overview of the history, politics, and culture of the fourth largest Latino community in the United States.
Feb. 25, 1964: Muhammad Ali Won the Heavyweight Boxing Title
In Miami Beach, Florida, Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.) won the heavyweight boxing championship title at the age of 22.
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The Missouri Tigers and the Hidden History of Black College Football Activists
Article. By Dave Zirin. 2015.
The protest by the University of Missouri football team placed in the context of a long history of activism by college athletes.
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The protest by the University of Missouri football team placed in the context of a long history of activism by college athletes.
June 20, 1967: Muhammad Ali Convicted for Refusing the Vietnam Draft
Muhammad Ali was convicted for refusing induction in the U.S. armed forces.
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Not Just a Game: Power, Politics & American Sports
Film. By Dave Zirin and Jeremy Earp. 2010. 62 minutes.
A documentary based on the bestselling book A People's History of Sports in the United States, Zirin demonstrates that American sports have long been at the center of some of the major political debates and struggles of our time. For 6th grade to adult.
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A documentary based on the bestselling book A People's History of Sports in the United States, Zirin demonstrates that American sports have long been at the center of some of the major political debates and struggles of our time. For 6th grade to adult.
We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
Picture book. By Kadir Nelson. 2008. 96 pages.
The story of Negro League baseball, in text and stunning imagery.
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The story of Negro League baseball, in text and stunning imagery.
A People’s History of Sports in the United States
Book — Non-fiction. By Dave Zirin. 2009. 302 pages.
U.S. history through the lens of sports.
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U.S. history through the lens of sports.
Chávez Ravine: A Record by Ry Cooder
Songs. By Ry Cooder. 2005. 70 minutes.
The story of the Chicano community bulldozed to pave the way for the Dodger Stadium in Santa Monica, told through bilingual songs.
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The story of the Chicano community bulldozed to pave the way for the Dodger Stadium in Santa Monica, told through bilingual songs.
Americans Who Tell the Truth
Website.
Portraits by Robert Shetterly and biographies of individuals who have taken a stand for justice.
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Edge of Sports: Dave Zirin
Website.
News about the intersection of sports and politics.
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Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow
Book — Fiction. By James Sturm and Rich Tommaso with an introduction by Gerald Early. 2007. 96 pages.
Told from the point of view of a sharecropper, this narrative in graphic novel format follows baseball champion Satchel Paige as he travels throughout the segregated South.
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Told from the point of view of a sharecropper, this narrative in graphic novel format follows baseball champion Satchel Paige as he travels throughout the segregated South.
A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson
Book — Non-fiction. By Michelle Y. Green. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. 2004. 128 pages.
A biography on one of only three women to play baseball in the Negro Leagues.
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A biography on one of only three women to play baseball in the Negro Leagues.
Brazil’s Dance with the Devil: The World Cup, the Olympics, and the Fight for Democracy
Book — Non-fiction. By Dave Zirin. 2016. 276 pages.
Examines the cultural, economic, and political context and impact of the World Cup and the Olympics on Brazil.
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Examines the cultural, economic, and political context and impact of the World Cup and the Olympics on Brazil.