| The struggle by African Americans to fully integrate professional football is a story that has not been adequately chronicled. Institutional racism, which permeates American society, was clearly visible in the history of professional football. This comprehensive study of African American professional football players from 1904 through 1962 seeks to describe and interpret some central themes of that history. First, how black players were allowed to participate in small numbers until 1933; second, that with the growing popularity of professional football and the reorganization of the NFL in 1933 white owners established a color barrier; third, that the reintegration of professional football in 1946 can be explained by the impact of World War II, public pressure primarily generated by the black press, the creation of the rival All-American Football Conference, and the realization among some white owners and coaches that playing blacks would increase revenues and talent; and finally how the reintegration process visibly changed professional football by 1962, and how this change paralleled the larger Civil Rights movement in America.;Finally, that the reintegration process, that initially allowed a select few black players to play professional football, opened the door for black players today. The contributions of Charles Follis, Fritz Pollard, Paul Robeson, Joe Lillard, Kenny Washington, Woody Strode, Bill Willis, and Marion Motley have been largely forgotten by history. This dissertation serves as a vehicle to acknowledge their sacrifice as well as to enlighten those unaware of this struggle. |
