In celebration of African-American History month, I secured funding through grants and coordinated the first-ever Diversity in Sport forum held at Millersville University on February 6, 2014.
The foremost purpose of Black History Month is to celebrate the contributions that African Americans have made to American history in the struggle for freedom and equality, and to deepen our understanding of our Nation’s history. February also helps to raise awareness of the achievements that African Americans have had in every field from science and the arts to politics, religion and sport.
Together with Dr Anthony Grant, the associate athletic director at MU, we were able to bring to campus sport historian Dr. Michael E. Lomax who discussed the concept of Redefining American Legends as part of his professional review of the recent Hollywood movie: #42: The Jackie Robinson Story. Dr. Lomax discussed the significance that Robinson and others had not only in breaking the color line in major league baseball, but also in increasing the involvement of African-American and Latinos in sport and culture today.
As part of the day’s schedule, a free screening of the film #42 was shown in SMC Multi-Purpose Room at 9:30 a.m., and a book signing discussion with Dr. Lomax took place in McNairy Library at Ganser Hall beginning at 4:00 p.m. After the evening lecture and the question and answer period, the film was shown again. All events were free and open to the public.
Dr. Michael E. Lomax is a sport historian who has served on the faculty at both the University of Iowa and University of Georgia. His primary research focus is on the African American experience in sport and the rise of sport entrepreneurs. Lomax has written several articles on race and sport, labor relations in sport, and Major League Baseball’s expansion era. His book, Black Baseball Entrepreneurs 1860-1901: Operating By Any Means Necessary, examines the ways in which African American entrepreneurs transformed baseball into a commercialized amusement.
The program was sponsored by the Millersville University’s Department of Wellness & Sport Sciences, Intercollegiate Athletics, School of Education Diversity Committee, Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, McNairy Library at Ganser Hall; African Student Association, Frederick Douglass Celebration of Black Culture Program, and the President’s Commission on Cultural Diversity and Inclusion. Additionally, the Millersville Mentoring Alliance used the forum as a kickoff-off event by sponsoring a free pasta dinner in advance of the evening program.
Working with the McNairy Library faculty member Dr. Marilyn Parrish, a special library exhibit was also developed that depicted Millersville University students of color participating in sport throughout history to coincide with the theme of the event as shown by the flyer and photos below.
Click here to open see the full size advertising poster for the event: Feb 6 Sport Diversity Poster.PDF
Click here to open the MU Black Culture & Latino Culture Spring 2014 programming brochure depicting the Diversity in Sport forum as a featured event: Black_Culture_Latino_Culture_events_brochure.PDF
