African-American Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame

This article will focus on the Black American distance runners who competed for San Jose State College (SJSC) during the early 1960s. In the fall of 1962, James Meridith grabbed national attention while attempting to transfer from the all-Black Jackson State College to the all-white University of Mississippi. A federal district court ordered Ole Miss to admit Meridith on September 3, 1962. Later that month, President John F. Kennedy ordered several hundred U.S. Marshals to escort Meridith to his classes.

Meanwhile, SJSC’s Ron Davis, Ben Tucker and Horace Whitehead quietly fought another battle in California. The emergence of East African runners from Ethiopia and Kenya in major road races, the World Championships, and the Olympic Games during the 1960s has long overshadowed the accomplishments of this group of Black American distance runners.

In 1962, Davis, Tucker, and Whitehead competed on the Spartans’ National Collegiate Athletic Association Cross Country Championship team, which also featured Brazilian Jose Azevedo, and Americans Jeff Fishback and Danny Murphy. (Following Davis and Whitehead’s departure in ’62, Tucker, too, competed on the Spartans’ 1963 NCAA championship squad.)

Davis, Tucker, and Whitehead’s effort was significant in that American Blacks during that era were considered great sprinters – not distance runners. From Jesse Owens in 1936 to Wilma Rudolph in 1960, Blacks had established themselves as sprinters on the world’s stage.

The trio trained to compete under harsh conditions. Though the City of San Jose is not located in the Southern region of the United States, the racial climate, at times, was just as hostile. According to Tucker, people would shout racial epithets from their windows, and cars would swerve around, narrowly missing them while they took their training runs. Still others would hurl bottles at them as they ran through the streets and hills of San Jose. When lining up at competitions, other athletes would often ask, “Are you sure you are at the right event?”

“The level of racism was blatant,” Tucker said. “We lived (in San Jose) and we trained there, but we were not of the community.”

As a result of the racial hostilities they encountered, Davis, Tucker and Whitehead formed a pact. “We realized we were considered an oddity,” said Tucker, who also was successful on the track during the spring, placing third in the mile run at the 1963 NCAA championships, and fourth in the 1,500 meters at the NCAA meet in 1964.

“Dean Miller was the key,” said Davis of the Spartan distance coach. Davis, who recently was hired as an assistant coach at Ohio State University, had coached under SJS Olympic gold medalist Lee Evans. “He arrived and motivated us. Before he got there, it was just (the SJS sprint squad known as) Speed City and a bunch of cross-country runners . . .”

But once the trio became recognized nationally, other runners took note, inquiring, “Oh, you guys must be from Africa. What African country are you from?” Tucker said. “I told them San Francisco.”

But in 1962, SJSC’s five-man team shattered the NCAA team record by 39 seconds. In capturing the national title in East Lansing, Michigan, Davis, Tucker and Whitehead placed fifth, fourteenth and twenty-fourth, respectively. Teammates Danny Murphy and Jeff Fishback finished third and thirteenth, respectively. The Spartans defeated Villanova 58-69.

Speed City: From Civil Rights to Black Power» A Historical Athletics Exhibit curated by Urla Hil

THE EXHIBIT

Speed City: From Civil Rights to Black Power is a historical athletics exhibition focusing on San Jose State College’s athletic program from which numerous student athletes became globally recognized figures as the Civil Rights and Black Power movements reshaped American society. Because of the large number of outstanding athletes in its track and field program, SJSC became synonymous with the name Speed City between 1956 and 1969.

Many are familiar with the so-called “Black Power” protest staged by SJSC sprinters John Carlos and Tommie Smith on the Olympic dais in 1968. Their reaction to racism — bowed heads and raised gloved fists — in America and around the world sparked a controversy that continues to linger some 40 years later.
But did you know that the Spartans’ tradition of activism began some 30 years earlier amongst its coaching staff?

Opening the Field (1920s to 1950s)

Yosh Uchida & Judo Team
From the Great Depression to the Cold War, opportunities open for people of color, including Yoshihiro Uchida and Julius Menendez, to coach and compete academically and athletically.

The Trailblazers (1956 – 1960)

The Good Brothers, circa 1958.
“(SJSC Track & Field Coach Bud Winter) wrote a book, but I made that book real. He had written it before I got there, but he needed an athlete to make it real. All Bud’s stuff came about because of me.”
-Ray Norton discussing his impact on Winter’s sprinting techniques.
Despite discriminatory conditions in San José, sprinters Ray Norton and Bob Poynter manage to bring attention to SJSC from around the world.

Free At Last (1960 – 1964)

1960 Olympic Boxing Team. Photos by Julius Menendez.
“The (Civil Rights) movement was really laid out in the fifties by the work and challenges that the Black athletes faced, and the stands they were willing to take.”
– Ben Tucker, San José State’s cross-country team, 1960-1964
Ron Davis, Ben Tucker, and Horace Whitehead manage to change long-held perceptions of Black Americans as distance runners .

Black Power (1964 – 1969)
Speed City 1968. Photo Jeff Kroot.

“They will be known forever as two niggers who upset the 1968 Olympic Games. I’d rather have been known for that than as two niggers who win two medals.”
-Willie Brown, former San Francisco Mayor and Assembly Speaker
John Carlos, Tommie Smith, and their symbolic gesture at the 1968 Olympics.

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT

Urla Hill has extensively searched the globe for artifacts, photographs and memorabilia from the Speed City era and compiled the exhibit tying together the rise of Civil Rights activism through SJSC’s athletes and coaches.

HOF President, Arif Khatib was involved with organizing the below conference and was warmly greeted in view of his plans to retun to Ethiopian to induct four additional athletes in Addis Ababa in Feb. The ceremony will be presented in conjunction with the below organization.

People to People Inc /P2P/ is pleased to inform all concerned that our First Global Ethiopian Conference on Health Care and Medical Education in Ethiopia was successfully concluded on September 26, 2009, as scheduled at the College of Medicine, Howard University in Washington DC.

The conference managed to bring together several hundreds Diaspora health professionals living in the U.S. who have already been involved in the process of health care development in Ethiopia and professionals who have the desire to give back to their country of origin. Our records reveal that Diaspora health professionals from California, Holland, Denver, Atlanta, Chicago, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Virginia, Maryland, South Africa, Switzerland,Washington D.C., Massachusetts, Minnesota, Kentucky, Philadelphia and North Carolina traveled all the way and attended. In addition, the conference was attended by the Minister of Health of Ethiopia, the Dean of the Medical Faculty of the Addis Ababa University, the President of the Ethiopian Medical Association (EMA), Civic society representatives, representatives of international organizations and invited scholars and scientists from the United States.

It may be recalled that the conference was designed to permit open dialog among these stake holders in health care development in Ethiopia while searching for best practices and common grounds. To facilitate the dialog, fourteen papers were presented in the one day conference by the different professionals as per the Agenda that had been developed and presented. The conference was rated by the participants as an extra ordinary success and P2P truly believes that the organization, attendance rate, participation and the quality of the presentations were excellent enough to satisfy our expectations and that of our participants. The conference examined health care challenges together with the policy and strategy directions to tackle these challenges while appreciating the opportunities. A very strong case for capacity building of the health care delivery system and medical training establishments was presented and the Diaspora has been urged to get involved in the process of closing the prevailing gaps.

SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES:

DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF

HEALTH CARE AND MEDICAL EDUCATION IN ETHIOPIA

September 26, 2009

Howard University, Washington, D.C.

Welcome and Introductory Remarks

Enawgaw Mehari, MD, Founder and President, People to People, Inc. (P2P)

Greetings

Allan Johnson, PHD. Associate Dean,

Division of Allied Health Sciences, Howard University

Panel Discussion 1 – Policy and Health Care Issues in Ethiopia

Moderators: Girma Tefera, MD, Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin

Elias Siraj, MD, (Associate professor, Temple University)

Challenges of the Delivery of Health Care in Ethiopia

Tedros Adhanom, PhD, Hon. Minister of Health, Ethiopia

Development and Implementation of Post Graduate Education

Milliard Derbew, MD, FRCS, FCS(ECSA), Dean, Addis Ababa University

Engaging the Ethiopian Diaspora Health Professionals

Fuad Temam, MD, President, Ethiopian Medical Association

Question and Answer Session

Panelists: Tedros Adhanom, PhD, Milliard Derbew, MD, & Fuad Temam, MD

Recognition Awards and Brief remark on

Minority Health Disparities Program between Addis Ababa University and Howard University and Capacity Building Programs in Ethiopia

Winston Anderson, PhD, Professor

Department of Biology
Howard University

Plenary Session 1 – Partnership Programs

Moderators: Tedla W. Giorgis, PhD, Visions for Development, Inc.

Ahmed Moen, PhD, Associate Professor, C/PNAHS & COM, Howard University

Developing Health and Regulatory Standards

Fisseha Woldu, PhD, Associate Director, DC Department of Health

Twinning: Howard Univ. & Addis Ababa Univ. School of Pharmacy/Nursing

Adrean-Kelly, PHD, Dean of College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Howard University

Bisrat Haile Meskel, MD, Associate Professor, Associate Professor, C/PNAHS, Howard University

Twinning: Strengthening Emergency Medicine between the University of Wisconsin, Addis Ababa University, & People to People, Inc.

Girma Tefera, MD, University of Wisconsin University

Efraim Kramer, MD, Division of Emergency Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Private Health Sector: Lessons Learned, Opportunities & Challenges

Belay Abegaz,MD, Director, Cardiac Center, Tikur Ambessa, Addis Abeba University

Gebeyaw Tiruneh, MD, MPH

Lessons Learned: Ethiopian Diaspora Volunteer Program

Tedla W. Giorgis, PhD, Visions for Development, Inc.

Etsehiwot Tekelemariam, MPH, MSW & Azamina Arangwala, MPH, American International Health Alliance, Twinning Center

Plenary Session 2 – Diaspora Initiatives

Moderators: Getachew Asresahagne, MD

Senait Fesseha, MD, JD, University of Michigan

Lessons Learned: P2P Diaspora Heath Care and Education

Kinfe Gebeyehu, MD, Vice President, People to People, Inc.

Successes and Challenges of Developing and Implementing Infectious Diseases Fellowship

Dawd S. Siraj, MD, MPH & TM, The Brody School of Medicine

Developing and Implementing Neurology Residency in Ethiopia

Daniel Tesfaye, MD

Challenges of Developing a Surgical Care & Training in Ethiopia

Steve Freidberg, MD, Professor of Surgery, Leahy Clinic, Boston

Panel Discussion 2 – Next Steps: Building Bridges to Foster Capacity Building for Medical Education and Health Care Services

Moderators: Fitsum Tesfaye, MD, & Zelalem Temesgen, MD, Professor of Medicine ,Mayo Clinic

Question and Answer Session

Panelists: Tedros Adhanom, PhD, Ambassador David Shinn, PhD, Elias Siraj, MD,

Miliard Derbew, MD, Fisseha Woldu,PhD, & Yonas Geda, M.D

Conference Rapporteur Report

Girma Tefera, MD, University of Wisconsin
Organizers of the conference

Arif Khatib
Founder and President, African American Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame, Oakland, CA

Zenait Kebede, MD MPH
Vice President for Research and Grant Development, P2P
Adjunct Faculty, Huber Department of Global Health, Emory University;
President, International Health Consultancy, LLC, Atlanta, GA

Closing Remark

Enawgaw Mehari, MD

With bittersweet emotions, fighting back tears, applauding and yelling at the top of my voice, I could only imagine what Lucille Hester felt as the speaker finally announced the enshrinement of her little brother, Robert “Bullet Bob” Hayes into the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on Saturday, August 8, 2009. Seated a few feet from me, I saw her staring intensively at the stadium monitor, engulfing every single accolade given by the announcer and the standing ovation rendered by a packed stadium crowd.

When a clip of Bob winning the 100 meters at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan flashed on the monitor, the crowd roared, but an even louder cheer occurred when they showed him catching a 45 yards pass from then quarterback Roger Stauback . With ease “Bullet Bob “galloped to the end zone for a Dallas Cowboys touchdown, eluding and out running his nearest tacklers. Bob revolutionized the National Football Leagues ‘offense and defense passing game with his speed and catching accuracy.

“Bullet Bob” Hayes was the first of six inductees inducted into the Football Hall of Fame class of 2009. The remaining five included, Randall McDaniel, Minnesota Vikings, Bruce Smith, Buffalo Bills, Derrick Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs, Rod Woodson, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Ralph Wilson Jr., one of the original founders of the American Football League. Mr. Wilson Jr., the oldest living inductee is 90 years old.

It was Robert Hayes Jr. that accepted the bust of his father which is now on display in the Football Hall of Fame Museum among his class of 2009 and alongside the other great Hall of Famers that have gone before him, but it was his friend Roger “The Dodger” Stauback who gave the heart wrenching acceptance speech . Holding back tears, he told of his love for Bob, and his tremendous contributions to both track and field and football. He expressed many fond memories of how funny Bob was and how he loved everyone. He remembered his love for family and his Cowboys. He gently mentioned Bob’s problems and the illness that took him suddenly away from us. As he concluded his tribute to this great man, Stauback spoke of Bob’s winning smile no matter how dire the circumstances.

I could not help but notice, a single tear streaming down Lucille’s face as that huge signature smile of hers covered her face. It was over now and all of her hard work had finally paid off. She had honored her brother’s request, because before Bob’s passing on September 18, 2002, he asked his sister to work to get him into the Football Hall of Fame. He had tried tirelessly for years and failed. That was the one honor which he desired, and so year after year, Lucille tirelessly campaigned for her little brother. She fought the good fight and won. Why then the bitter-sweetness?
Lacey O’Neal, Bob Hayes’ teammate on several international track and field teams and a 1964 and 1972 Olympian hurdler semi-finalist is a free-lance writer. She resides in Washington, DC.

By Mark Moore

Hi Claude,

I think this may give you goosebumps!!!

Ferdinand Accooe as a New York All StarFerdinand Accooe as a New York All Star.

I just found out that there is a continuous connected unbroken circle between the funeral of form New York Renaissance player John Isaacs, former Black Fives Era basketball star Ferdinand Accooe, and you, Claude.

I know you’re thinking what the heck am I talking about?

Remember earlier this year when you spoke at John Isaacs’ funeral at the Metropolitan A.M.E Church?

Well exactly 100 years ago, in 1909, that was the location of the Lincoln Theater, and the Bishop Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, whose pastor was the Reverend John Harris “J.H.” Accooe, the father of Ferdinand Accooe.

According to the 1909 Edition of the World Facts and Encyclopedia, Rev. “J.H” Accooe was the pastor of the Bishop Chapel A.M.E. Church, which was located at 60 West 135th Street, which is next door to the current Metropolitan A.M.E Church at 58 West 135th Street.

You were at a funeral honoring a legend, Mr. Isaacs, at the location where Rev. Accooe preached the gospel every Sunday, with his son Ferdinand Accooe sitting in the front row, who at that time was a member of the Smart Set Athletic Club basketball team, and from where he would go home to Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn and hang out with his friends Teddy Horne and Charles Scottron (who’s sister he later married).

So Mr. Isaacs, a black basketball legend, was laid to rest at the location where another black basketball legend, Ferdinand Accooe, attended church on Sundays, and where his father Rev. Accooe gave many funeral eulogies.

And you connected all of them together, Mr. Isaacs in body and spirit, and the spirit of Ferdinand Accooe and his father, when you spoke at the funeral remembering the past, in the present — as you say “making history now!”

Mark

(Mark Moore is the great-great-great grandson of Ferdinand Accooe’s uncle, James Accooe, the brother or Rev. “J.H.” Accooe — he is also the Accooe Family historian.) Submitted by Black Fives, Inc. (blackfives.com)
Related Posts:

• Basketball Pioneer Ferdinand Accooe’s Birthday, In 1889
• New York All Stars, World’s First Greedy All-Black Hoops Team
• Major Hart Changes Basketball History, This Date In 1910

BREAST CANCER INITIATIVE EAST AFRICA INC.

MISSION:

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Kenya, second most common in women in Tanzania and Burundi and third most common cancer in women in Uganda and Rwanda. thus, Breast Cancer Initiative East Africa Inc. BCIEA Inc. is grass roots, 501 (c) 3, a non profit organization dedicated to ensure that through advocacy, awareness, education, empowerment and research, women in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi) do not have to face breast cancer fearfully and hopelessly alone. This mission can only be accomplished by involving global health, medical and research communities in the detection, prevention and treatment of breast cancer. BCIEA passionately embraces the fact that awareness leads to early detection when the disease can be treated and this knowledge saves, empowers and changes lives.

Building on the evidence based methods and programs developed in the US, BCIEA is seeking collaboration and partnership with global health, research and medical institutions, and business communities to create sustainable breast cancer outreach and education in this low resource region. BCIEA’s main goal is to make statements like: “Early detection plus advancement in technology mean getting back to your normal life sooner” (Catherine, USA) a reality in East Africa instead of: “ I’d rather hide my pain than try to find out about a horrifying disease I have no power or means to fix,” (Mbabazi Uganda).

While the impact of major strides in cancer detection and treatment is increasingly being felt in USA and other high resource countries, the picture in East Africa is dismal. Local and world attention is understandably, focused mainly on HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases; while breast cancer or cancer in general remain among the non-communicable and neglected diseases. For example in Kenya with a population of 32 million, two oncologists and one radiology center, 95% of women have never had a clinical breast exam. According to 2008 U.S. Breast Cancer Fact Sheet, except for skin cancer, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in U.S.A. In East Africa the majority of breast cancer victims hopelessly and helplessly wait for their death, and only the lucky few who can afford to seek treatment abroad survive.

LESSONS LEARNED:

The effective approaches and best practices that have worked successfully include: community assessment, volunteering and organization, awareness and education, fundraising, advocacy and research. BCIEA plans to modify and regionalize these proven programs and strategize to meet the local needs. BCIEA now has partnerships with two universities, two girls secondary schools in Rwanda and Uganda; two hospitals one religious group and the ministry of health in Rwanda. Efforts are being made to address policy issues in order to enlist active government involvement and support of this initiative in each country of the region. BCIEA Inc. founder, Philippa Kibugu-Decuir and Anne Rugege, Executive Director, Rwanda, were able to present the concept to the Rwanda Women Parliamentarians on Saturday, August 1, 2009 and it was positively received. Research in areas unique and peculiar to the region and establishment of data registries are crucial for the validity of this program and for positioning it into the next phase of aligning infrastructure, access and treatment.

“My people perish for lack of knowledge…” Hosea 4:6

Philippa Kibugu- Decuir M.ED

Breast Cancer Initiative East Africa Inc.(BCIEA Inc.)

High School Educator

15 yrs breast cancer survivor

Founder BCIEA Inc /Breast Health Advocate

www.breastcancerafrica.org A 501 (C), (3) non-profit organization. Any donation is tax-deductible

piot04@yahoo.com Tax ID # 261745379

281-564097: Office

832-439-1190: Mobile
281-3859703: Fax