Jim Brown, who was esteemed for his football accomplishments and social activism, has died at 87.
“It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my husband, Jim Brown,” his wife Monique said in an Instagram post on Brown’s page. “He passed away peacefully last night at our LA home.”
Brown, a unanimous NFL Hall of Famer, distinguished himself on the gridiron and Hollywood’s big and small screens. Brown starred in over 30 movies, most notably “The Dirty Dozen,” “Any Given Sunday,” “Three the Hard Way” and “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka.”
Brown’s ‘Watershed Moment’ of Athlete Activism
However, Brown was one of the few prominent professional athletes who advocated for civil rights and spoke out about racial issues during the 1960s.
Brown founded the Negro Industrial and Economic Union, later known as the Black Economic Union, which provided resources and programs for minority businesses and homeownership opportunities for minorities.
Brown also played a crucial role in “a watershed moment” for the racial awareness of Black athletes.
On June 4, 1967, he invited prominent athletes like Bill Russell and Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) to join Muhammad Ali at the Negro Industrial and Economic Union offices.
The gathering is known as the “Cleveland Summit” or “Muhammad Ali Summit.”
The meeting occurred about a month after Ali refused to be drafted into the U.S. military. It was a show of support for the boxer, who, by this time, was one of the most hated and reviled men in the country.
Ali chose not to be inducted into the military due to his religious beliefs, as he had become a member of the Nation of Islam. In a story that appeared in the Chicago Defender the next day, Ali declared, “There’s nothing new to say” after the summit.
In that same article, Brown remarked, “We heard his views and know that he is completely sincere in his belief.”
“His position is…
Read the full article here
