The Forgotten First
Kenny Washington, Woody Strode, Marion Motley, Bill Willis, and the Breaking of the NFL Color Barrier
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The Forgotten First
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Narrated by:
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Rhett Samuel Price
About this listen
The unknown story of the Black pioneers who collectively changed the face of the NFL in 1946.
The Forgotten First chronicles the lives of four incredible men, the racism they experienced as Black players entering a segregated sport, the burden of expectation they carried, and their many achievements, which would go on to affect football for generations to come.
More than a year before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball, there was another seismic moment in pro sports history. On March 21,1946, former UCLA star running back Kenny Washington - a teammate of Robinson's in college - signed a contract with the Los Angeles Rams. This ended one of the most shameful periods in NFL history, when African American players were banned from league play.
Washington would not be alone in serving as a pioneer for NFL integration. Just months after he joined the Rams, thanks to a concerted effort by influential Los Angeles political and civic leaders, the team signed Woody Strode, who played with both Washington and Robinson at UCLA in one of the most celebrated backfields in college sports history. And that same year, a little-known coach named Paul Brown of the fledgling Cleveland Browns signed running back Marion Motley and defensive lineman Bill Willis, thereby integrating a start-up league that would eventually merge with the NFL.
The Forgotten First tells the story of one of the most significant cultural shifts in pro football history, as four men opened the door to opportunity and changed the sport forever.
©2021 Keyshawn Johnson and Bob Glauber (P)2021 Grand Central PublishingCritic Reviews
"Absolutely remarkable and eye-opening. The Forgotten First delivers the moving tale of the four men who broke the NFL’s color barrier, the trials they endured en route to their groundbreaking moment and beyond, and those who helped make their pursuit successful. The story of Jackie Robinson’s breaking of MLB’s color barrier is well-documented and celebrated, but amazingly, the saga of Kenny Washington, Woody Strode, Marion Motley, and Bill Willis’ quest for equality during this dark time in the history of pro football and the United States remains largely unknown, by even the most diehard NFL fans. Keyshawn Johnson and Bob Glauber’s documentation of this breakthrough moment is rich in detail and revelation and is a must-read for football fans and historians." (Mike Jones, NFL columnist for USA Today)
“We’ve all heard of Jackie Robinson, but this deeply researched story of the overlooked players who reintegrated the NFL is a window into the roots of what would become the country’s most popular sport. Johnson and Glauber follow the heartbreaks and victories of the four men who transformed football and amplify the echoes of their careers in the race and diversity issues with which the NFL still grapples today.” (Judy Battista, NFL.com columnist and NFL Network reporter)
“Marion Motley, Bill Willis, Kenny Washington, and Woody Strode played a role in the history of football that’s not known by most people. It’s as important as any element in football since the game’s inception. They helped give Black players an opportunity that was not previously available to them, and they paved the way for kids like me to live a different life. Thanks, Dad, for taking me to Browns games and giving me a chance to dream.” (Tom Jackson, Denver Broncos All-Pro linebacker, Emmy award-winning broadcaster for ESPN)