Reaching the Finish Line: Black Athletes and Civil Rights
1999
32 Minutes
Documentary
Unknown Source
This program evaluates the societal contributions of Joe Louis, Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Toni Stone, Willie O’Ree, and Arthur Ashe-sports icons who, with commitment and perseverance, broke the color barrier in professional athletics, paving the way for later civil rights victories. Archival footage and interviews with NBA all-star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; the wife and daughter of Jackie Robinson; the first black members of the Professional Golfers’ Association and the National Hockey League; the first black man to win at Wimbledon; and former players from the Harlem Rens and the Negro League reveal the courage of these gifted athletes in the face of racism and injustice. This 32 minute video was released in 1999 by Films for the Humanities & Sciences and was once available through them for private home viewing (or at a higher price for public performance rights).
