The African American Athlete: The Renaissance Continues

In honor of Black History Month and in partnership with the LBJ School of Public Affairs’ 2018 Barbara Jordan National Forum, Texas Athletics, UT's Center for Sports Leadership & Innovation, and the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement

On Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, members of the public and UT Austin students were invited to a screening of "The Renaissance Period of the African American in Sports," a documentary that explores the story of nine pioneering African American Olympians who shattered records and stereotypes at the 1936 games in Berlin, paving the way for future generations. [Watch the trailer]

Following the screening, Dr. Leonard Moore, the interim vice president of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at The University of Texas at Austin, moderated two discussions:

1) One-on-one with Herbert Douglas, Jr., a co-executive producer of the documentary and the oldest living African American Olympic medalist. Douglas won the bronze medal in the long jump at the 1948 London Olympic games.

2) Panel discussion with Cory Redding, a former NFL and Texas football player; Dr. Louis Harrison, the Charles H. Spence, Sr. Centennial Professor in Education at The University of Texas at Austin; Kathleen McElroy, senior lecturer and associate director at the School of Journalism at the Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin.