While the integration of African-Americans into the world of professional sports is very well-documented, quite a bit less is known about the various African-American pioneers in the world of collegiate athletics. Helping fill this gap is a nice online exhibit dedicated to exploring the various individuals who led the way in this arena at the University of Wisconsin from the years 1900 to 1970. The site was created by Gregory Bond, a graduate student at the university, and includes a timeline of relevant events. Examples include looking back to 1875, which saw the first African-American graduate from the University, a section on pioneers in a host of various sports at the school, and a documents section that includes a faculty resolution in 1939 opposing a Jim Crow-style track meet in Columbia, Missouri. For anyone interested in this interesting (and somewhat under-examined) aspect of integration in American history, this site is worth a look.
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