CLEVELAND -- February is Black History Month and in recognition of those who contributed to the history of the National Football League and Cleveland Browns organization, the team hosted a panel discussion Thursday morning.
The discussion, “Personal Reflections: The Positive Effects of Football on Racial Equality”, at BrownsTown inside Cleveland Browns Stadium featured former Browns, Walter Beach, Reggie Rucker, Dick Schafrath, Sam Tidmore and John Wooten. Pro Football Hall of Fame president/executive director Steve Perry served as the moderator.
“It’s fantastic for the Pro Football Hall of Fame to be here along with the Cleveland Browns organization and these wonderful panelists we have today,” Perry said. “They have experienced what the Cleveland Browns organization tried to accomplish, going all the way back to 1946 when they brought Marion Motley and Bill Willis in to be the first African-Americans to play on the team in the modern era. For them, the 1964 championship team is a validation that when people work together and they don’t let any of their personal differences become a factor or a distraction, they can accomplish wonderful things.”
Beach, the CEO of Amer-I-Can, was a defensive back with the Browns from 1963-66, while Rucker, an active member of the United Way, Amer-I-Can and Peacemakers Alliance was a Browns wide receiver from 1975-81. Schafrath, a long-time Ohio State senator, and Wooten, Chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance that prepares minority candidates for NFL coaching and front office positions, were offensive linemen for the last Browns championship team.
Tidmore, a native Clevelander, is the president and CEO of The Village Television.
Beach recalled the differences between playing for the Browns and New England Patriots. He told a story about refusing to play for the Patriots when the team was separated to segregated hotels before a game in Houston. Beach was given a per diem and plane ticket home. During his days with the Browns, the team was never separated.
“Hopefully, it has a positive impact on everyone,” Beach said. “Racism is a single narrative, so what you have to do is abandon that particular narrative and understand that it solves no problems. It only solves problems for individuals and it comes down to an aspect of self-indulgence. It has nothing to do with where you’re trying to go.”
At the panel discussion, nearly 150 students represented six high schools from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, including John Hay, John Marshall, James F. Rhodes, John Adams, John F. Kennedy and Lincoln West.
In addition to the 150 in attendance, 450 students from around the country watched through a special teleconference.
Students from Warrensville Heights, Lima, Ada, the Newton D. Baker School of Arts, Columbus Africentric School and Boardman-Glenwood Middle School represented Ohio. Lakeview High School (Columbus, Neb.), Cincinnatus (Cincinnatus, N.Y.), Roxboro Road Middle (Syracuse, N.Y.), Mountain Gap Elementary (Huntsville, Ala.), R. T. Cream Family School (Camden, N.J.) and the John V. Lindsey Wildcat Academy (Bronx, N.Y.) also participated in the discussion.
“All of this has a tremendous impact on young people, to see what racial equality is all about and how it works,” Wooten said. “Therefore, when they see the racism side of it, they’ll be able to confront it and go on with their lives.”
Tidmore added “I think it was a wonderful, wonderful experience. I think it’s timely and there should be more of this. I think we should have a monthly discussion, something that lets them give us the hard questions that they need to have answers to.”
