MORE THAN JUST A GAME: THE IMPACT OF SPORTS ON RACIAL SEGREGATION IN ONE SOUTHERN TOWN by ROBERT L. ROBINSON NATALIE G. ADAMS, COMMITTEE CHAIR BARBARA BRICKMAN PHILO HUTCHESON DOUGLAS MCKNIGHT STEPHEN TOMLINSON A DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Education, Leadership, Policy, & Technology Studies in the Graduate School of The University of Alabama TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA 2017 Copyright Robert L. Robinson 2017 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT The research examines the impact of sports in the Civil Rights Movement, particularly addressing school desegregation during 1965–1971 in Valdosta, Georgia, based on interviews with nine Black football athletes who played for Valdosta High School during that period. The Valdosta High School football team had a tradition of excellence that was recognized throughout the state of Georgia. Valdosta and most of Lowndes County had a clear history of racial violence and bigotry. However, when the community was faced with mandated desegregation of the high school, instead of resorting to violence, the citizens focused on football. The outstanding success of African American football players and the entire time under the leadership of their head coach built a bridge between the White and Black communities. What could have been a period of intense brutality and community upheaval became a time of championships and glory. ii DEDICATION This dissertation is respectfully dedicated to my children, Ambree K. Robinson and Langton R. Robinson. It is my hope that this dissertation serves as evidence to them that the impossible is possible through hard work, perseverance, determination, and faith. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Words cannot express the level of gratitude and appreciation that I have for Dr. Natalie Adams, my advisor and mentor. I came to her with a vague idea; thanks to her leadership, motivation, inspiration, and knowledge, I have completed research of which I can be proud. I would have never gotten here without her. I thank my committee members: Dr. Barbara Brickman, Dr. Philo Hutcheson, Dr. Douglas McKnight, and Dr. Stephen Tomlinson. Their insightful comments and expertise, as well as their difficult questions and continuous push, helped to shape the scope and direction of this work. I thank my wife, LaTonya, and our children for being the foundation of my life. The sacrifices that they made and their constant support saw me throughout this entire process. When recognizing the impact of family in my life, I cannot overlook the contribution and love of my parents, Ruby and Willie James Robinson. My mother’s faith in me was never taken for granted, and this belief shaped my life and helped me to become the man I am today. I also recognize my brothers and sisters for their support. One of the great blessings in my life is that I have had great friends, and I thank all of them for their support throughout this process. iv CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................... 8 Significance of the Study ........................................................................................................ 9 Research Design .................................................................................................................... 10 Organization of the Dissertation............................................................................................ 11 CHAPTER 2: AN OVERVIEW OF THE BIRTH OF PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE SOUTH ............................................................................................... 12 Desegregation of Georgia Public Schools ............................................................................. 20 The Impact of Desegregation ................................................................................................ 26 Professional Sports and the Desegregation of Atlanta .......................................................... 27 College Sports and Desegregation ........................................................................................ 30 High School Sports and Desegregation ................................................................................. 33 Black Masculinity ................................................................................................................. 35 Black Masculinity and Sports ............................................................................................... 46 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY AND METHOD .................................................................... 56 v Research Setting .................................................................................................................... 56 Methodology ......................................................................................................................... 61 Permission to Conduct Research ........................................................................................... 63 Interview Protocol ................................................................................................................. 63 Participants ............................................................................................................................ 63 Data Collection ...................................................................................................................... 64 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 66 Chapter Summary .................................................................................................................. 67 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS .............................................................................................................. 68 History of Pinevale High School ........................................................................................... 69 Freedom of Choice Policy ..................................................................................................... 71 Setting the Historical Context ............................................................................................... 73 Coach August Wright Bazemore and the 1969 Student Walkout ................................ 73 The African American Students Walkout ..................................................................... 76 John Copeland: Being the First ..................................................................................... 79 Aaron Holder: The Defiant One ................................................................................... 87 Robert Savage: The Loyal Teammate .......................................................................... 92 Melvin Herron: Small Body, Big Heart ........................................................................ 95 Herman Godfrey: The Lost Teammate ......................................................................... 98 John Bell: The Quarterback Dreamer ......................................................................... 100 Charles Daniels: The Tough Guy ............................................................................... 103 Robert Daniels: “Little Daniels” ................................................................................. 107 Roger and Stanford Rome: The Unstoppable Duo ..................................................... 111 vi CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................. 120 Theme 1: Sports Played a Positive Role in Helping to Ease Transition ............................. 120 The Benefit of Playing for Valdosta ........................................................................... 120 Sports Helped School and Community to Ease Into School Desegregation .............. 127 Poking Holes in the Notion of “Separate But Equal” ................................................. 132 Theme 2: The Problem With the “Sports as the Great Unifier” Myth ................................ 134 The Persistence of Racism .......................................................................................... 134 Losses Associated With the Closing of Pinevale ....................................................... 139 Loss of Position on New “White” Team .................................................................... 144 We’re Brothers on the Field, Not off the Field ........................................................... 148 Theme 3: Disrupting a Singular Narrative of the Black Athlete During Desegregation .... 150 Conclusion and Further Research.......................................................................................