On February 28, 2024, I attended the African American Sports and Civil Rights lecture and presentation, presented by Susan Rayl. Throughout this presentation, located in the Park Center Hall of Fame Room, she discussed a multitude of African American athletes and the impact their stories have had on, what is now, our modern day athletes. Some of the athletes mentioned were Octavius Catto, Issac Murphy, Marshall Taylor, Edwin B. Henderson, Robert Douglas, Jesse Owens, Joe Louis, Tydie Picket, Louise Stokes and Jackie Robinson. The goal of this talk was to enlighten those who didn’t have the previous knowledge of these athletes, their struggles and how they have paved the way for those to come so that they have the opportunity to thrive in the world of sports regardless of their race.
While all of these athletes struggled in their respective sports, one of the stories that Dr. Rayl focused heavily on was the story of Tydie Picket and Louise Stokes. Both girls were runners who got their start running in a track club. When both girls realized they had a real talent for the sport, they trained day and night to be able to, one day, run in the Olympic games. In 1932, both Picket and Stokes qualified for the games but were denied the chance to run because they were replaced by two of their white teammates. Because of the time period, society deemed this behavior as justified and it was simply overlooked. However, this didn’t stop Picket and Stokes from training in the hopes that they would be able to run in the Olympics another year. Well, in 1936, both girls qualified for the games again, this time around Stokes was denied the chance to run but Picket was awarded the opportunity to compete. It should be noted that it was a victory for the African American community to be able to see one of their own have the chance to win such a prestigious event. Prejudice was and still is an extremely detrimental plague in our country, but it was no match for these two athletes who managed to make history in the track and field community.
The personalities of these athletes remind me of the character Sula from Toni Morrison’s novel Sula. Sula was a very care-free, strong willed and independent girl who followed her heart and mind wherever it wanted to go, disregarding any feelings of doubt and fear that may have been placed upon her by those in her life. Picket and Stokes went against the country’s views on racial equality and attempted to live out the lives they desired because it doesn’t matter what race or gender you are, you can still enact change. It only takes one person to make a difference. For Sula, it was her adventurous spirit that led her to see all that life has to offer without worrying about judgment from her peers. And in the case of Stokes and Picket, it was the drive to be themselves and follow that passion they had for running as far as it could take them.
Overall, I believe this presentation was very impactful on our Cortland community. It brought to light some very crucial issues in our athletic fields that may not have been common knowledge to some who attended, including myself. I wasn’t aware of exactly who a majority of the athletes mentioned were aside from Jackie Robinson. Dr. Rayl gave myself and others present the chance to better understand the historical aspects of how the civil rights movement truly impacted the world of sports.
