“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” – William Faulkner
The Faulkner phrase was on my mind this morning as I sat down to eat breakfast with my three-year-old daughter. As she munched happily away, I snuck a glance at the newspaper and yesterday’s mail. The paper carried a story about the likeness of the new Vanderbilt football coach that a local muralist had painted on the side of a building near campus. In the mail was a copy of the Vanderbilt athletic department newsletter, which included an interesting story on the make-up of the Commodore baseball team. And over on the counter next to us sat my Strong Inside manuscript, with final copy edits due back to the publisher by tonight. The book, of course, deals with the racism, stereotypes and insensitivities Perry Wallace confronted as the SEC’s first African-American basketball player. I’ve wondered how young readers today will react to the story, as accustomed as they are to black athletes. Other readers may wonder why a book about the tumultuous events of the 1960s is relevant – “Aren’t we past all that?” they might say.
But the Tennessean and Commodore Nation articles demonstrated just how much race still remains a part of the daily discourse in the sports world. In the case of the mural, observers were quick to note that the artist’s depiction of VU football coach Derek Mason looked uncomfortably like an old minstrel show depiction of an African-American, with overly dark skin and white lips. Vanderbilt’s NAACP chapter led an effort to call for a “re-do” on the painting, and as of today it appears the artist will alter it.
Better news could be found in the newsletter article on the Vanderbilt baseball team, in which Commodore head coach Tim Corbin, universally regarded as one of the best in his profession, talked about his intentional work to build a team of players from diverse ethnic backgrounds. “It is done purposely to match the university and really to match our country,” Corbin told Jerome Boettcher. “It is a dynamic that goes hand in hand with educating kids … It is really good for perspective. What I think it does is widen their focus … That typically equals success if they buy into it.”
Very smart essay in good looking website.
Thank you for your comment. I’m glad you enjoy the site and hope you will enjoy the book as well.
Race is a difficult topic to discuss. I attended Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas in the Spring of 1969 – an all-Black college. I was one of six White students from the University of Wisconsin. The program was meant to expose us to Black America and quite possibly to integrate Black colleges. That was 45 years ago. My experience has been difficult to share. There was no attempt on the part of the program to have the participants communicate with each other about each of our unique experiences; a failure of the program I feel. So – when Bill Clinton says: “I feel your pain” – I am sure of his sincere and earnest sentiment but I do know that no one can know the pain that Black America has felt. How do you explain man’s inhumanity to man? You can’t. Still – we know what is right and what is wrong. I love Bill Clinton, by the way and also Barack Obama (I was honored to meet him and shake his hand). Let’s never give up. By the way, I was treated very well by the students and faculty – at a time when Black Power was a defining moment in Black American History. Not all the time, by the way. A few threats – here and there – some name-calling. This experience defined my world view from that point on . . . not necessarily a positive one. I am a cynic and a pessimist. But . . . for some reason . . . there is this little part of me that does not want to give up. So – I don’t. I love it when people endure and rise above circumstances that most of us would not have the courage to face.
Thank you for visiting the site and for your thoughtful comments about your own experience and your admiration for those who endure and rise above. I hope you will enjoy the book when it comes out in November!
Oh, don’t you worry. I shall read it. And spread the word as best I can.