African-American Heroes: Black Jockey's Dominate Kentucky Derby

Black athletes once dominated the Kentucky Derby. The first Kentucky Derby took place in 1875 and won by Oliver Lewis. Lewis, a 19-year-old African-American native Kentuckian, rode Aristides, a chestnut colt trained by a former slave, to a record-setting victory for a three-year-old.

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African-American Heroes: Birmingham Black Barons and Formation of Negro Leagues

The Black Barons roster consisted of players from the industrial leagues of Alabama. They played their home games at Rickwood Field, which still stands and is the oldest professional ballpark in the United States.

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African-American Heroes: The Real Story of Jackie Robinson’s Integration into Organized Baseball — Part 1

Despite being the first African-American to break into the minor leagues, fans treated Robinson with respect in Montreal. The city grew to love him, and he, in return, it. However, it was a different story when he went on the road.

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African-American Heroes: The Real Story of Jackie Robinson’s Integration into Organized Baseball — Part 2

Youth organizations such as the CYO were planning to boycott the 1947 season if Durocher managed the team due to the poor example he was providing youths. Despite these issues off the field, Durocher kept plugging for his players not to cause Robinson problems.

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African-American Heroes: The Real Story of Jackie Robinson’s Integration into Organized Baseball — Part 3

On April 9, 1947, before Brooklyn announced Robinson as joining the big-league roster Happy Chandler announced a one-year suspension of Durocher. Chandler cited Durocher's string of moral shortcomings: gambling debts, associations with known gamblers and nightlife figures, and a scandalous marriage with charges of adultery, bigamy, and contempt of court.

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African-American Heroes: Honoring Athletes Who Sacrificed for Racial Equality – Part 1

An essential part of understanding each other is recognizing why there is grave concern among the African-American community. One cannot understand what fears, anxieties, and concerns another face without experiencing it.

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African-American Heroes: Honoring Athletes Who Sacrificed for Racial Equality – Part Two

In our goal to produce change, we need hearts to change. Hearts change when we care enough about each other to discuss complex issues. Change can only result from being open-minded, empathetic, sympathetic, and willing to listen to others whose concerns are different than yours. Force, intimidation, threats, and violence only produce resentment.

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