The Mundane World

Gerry was a star football player for an all white high school in Alexandria, Virginia.

The Call To Adventure

The Brown vs. Board of Education decision was finally filtering through. Gerry’s high school was to be consolidated with the local all black high school. Their new high school was to be named T.C. Williams High School. This would mean Gerry would have to play with black players in the upcoming season, something he was initially not happy about.

Crossing The Threshold

The new black coach Herman Boone took the team to camp. Gerry stepped onto a bus that was no longer all white but white and black. Boone purposely put all players on offense and all players on defense on separate buses, rather than segregating by color.

The Path of Trials

Gerry, like all the other players, had to room with a black player. Gerry was paired up with Julius a defensive star from the defunct all black high school. Initially both athletes greatly disliked each other, but through a mutual love of the game and superb worth ethic they understood that color did not have to be an issue. Gerry had to lead the charge against racist behavior on and off the field. He stopped fights at school and he stopped fights in the locker-room, all for the team. His respect for his new team mates cost him his girlfriend and best friend, even his mother was not happy with the choices he was making. But Gerry knew these choices were the right thing to do. In the rest week before the State Championship Gerry was in an auto accident that paralyzed him.

Master of Two Worlds

Gerry’s team went on to to win the State Championship that year with an undefeated season. Gerry then went on to represent the United States in the Paralympics. Both great achievements, but more importantly Gerry recognized the need for acceptance and that he, as a role model and star, could influence others for the greater good, even if it meant suffering abuse and neglect from those who were once so very close to him. He had catalyzed the movement for change in a much-divided community. 

Submitted by: Kit Bennett