Just Follow Me: James Owens and the Integration of Southeastern Conference Football - Couverture souple

Gossom, Thom; Heys, Sam

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 1985902702 ISBN 13 : 9781985902701

Editeur : The University Press of Kentucky, 2025

Synopsis

In 1969, James Owens (1951–2016) made sports history as the first Black football player at Auburn University—a significant milestone that marked the beginning of the end of segregation in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Owens, a running back, was an exemplary athlete who battled racism and immense scrutiny during his time at Auburn. Yet his strength, his faith, and his family's support emboldened him to persevere and break the color barrier, which ultimately opened the door for other Black athletes. Just Follow Me: James Owens and the Integration of Southeastern Conference Football chronicles Owens's remarkable life and career—from growing up in Fairfield, Alabama, to his first day on the gridiron as an Auburn Tiger, his work as a coach and pastor, and his later years when he was plagued by heart issues. Through personal interviews with Owens and his former teammates, friends, and coaches, authors Thom Gossom Jr. and Sam Heys reveal the struggles faced by Owens and his contemporaries both on and off the field, all within the broader historical context of the civil rights movement. Just Follow Me is an honest, inspiring account of not only a trailblazing football player but also a resilient and influential leader in the sports community.

A propos du livre

À propos des auteurs

Thom Gossom, Jr, a writer/actor, appears in the HBO Special Breaking the Huddle: The Integration of College Football, andalso starred in Fight Club, Queen and Slim, Miss Evers' Boys, Jeepers Creepers 2, and the television series, In The Heat Of The Night.

Sam Heys, who covered the integration of southern college athletics for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is author of Remember Henry Harris: Lost Icon of a Revolution, A Story of Hope and Self-Sacrifice in America, winner of the Kirkus Star, given to only two percent of books reviewed by Kirkus.

Gerald L. Smith is assistant professor of history at Memphis State University.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: The University Press of Kentucky
• Date d'édition: 2025
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 1985902702
• ISBN 13: 9781985902701
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 240
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible