In the midst of the Vietnam War and the wake of Martin Luther King Jr’s march on Washington, massive changes were sweeping the country. By 1969 people were no longer allowing themselves to be passive bystanders. Waves of activism and protests were sparked by clashes of race, politics and religion
This fall marks the 45th anniversary of one of the most notorious affairs in University of Wyoming’s history – The Black 14. In commemoration of the event and as part of the University of Wyoming’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Days of Dialogue a panel discussion will be held Thursday. Chicory Betchel, UW Coordinator of Multicultural Affairs, remarked it is important that we remember the past but also
“I think we have come a long way since 1969,” said Betchel. “We have an [incredible] support system for students of different backgrounds from the US as well as international.”
This support was not always provided for non-white students at the university, said Betchel. Shortly after the Black Panther arrests in New Haven, Con., and while war waged in Southeast Asia, members of the UW Black Students Alliance, most famously the 14 football players, set out to peacefully and silently protest a descriminatory precedent set by the Mormon Church. Although there weren’t exactly riots in the streets, Wyoming students played their part in speaking out against the injustices of the time, yet what started out as a handful of student athletes merely seeking to request the opportunity to silently protest led to one of the greatest civil rights debates in the history of sports
Preceding the fall of 1969, the Cowboys had consecutively won three Western Athletic Conference football championships. Shortly after the day of the Black 14, Wyoming would go from being ranked twelfth to not being ranked at all. While it is of popular belief that the players were kicked off for either demanding to wear armbands representing protest, or even wearing them onto the field, White declared neither of these actions came to pass.
“If Eaton would have just said ‘no you cannot do any of these things,’ they probably would have just gone ahead and played the game, but he kicked them off as soon as he saw those armbands,” said Phil White, editor of the Branding Iron at the time. “They didn’t have a chance.”
White reported that a few days prior to the incident, the chancellor of the university’s BSA delivered a statement to the UW president and athletic director titled “Why We Must Protest” – telling of plans to conduct a demonstration at the BYU game. That Thursday, the day before the meeting, Coach Eaton told Joe Williams, tri-captain for the Cowboys, any participation by athletes in protests or demonstrations was prohibited. Williams relayed this warning to the rest of the 14 and in turn the group decided to discuss the issue with Eaton the following day.
On October 17of 1969, the day before the Brigham Young game,the 14 black football players visited coach Eaton’s office in an attempt to discuss wearing black armbands in protest of Brigham Young University and what they represent but left with more then just their request denied.
Outside of select southern states, Utah was the only state, which had not implemented civil rights legislation at the start of the 1960’s. At the time the dominant religion of Utah, the Church of Latter-day Saints, prohibited African-American members from being able to take up leadership positions in the church.
BYU, representing the LDS, presented an opportunity for the African-American athletes to peacefully and silently protest the injustice the Mormon Church was practicing. Eaton quickly and harshly put a kybosh to the proposal before it was even proposed and then continued to demean and debase the players in his midst.
“[Eaton] said right off the bat ‘you are all off the team for violating my rules,’” said White. “Then he proceeded to lecture them, insult them, and denigrate their backgrounds.”
The athletes went to President William Carlson and requested a meeting with Carlson and Eaton later that day, reported White. Coach Eaton never showed. The details of the Eaton’s actions quickly circulated campus.
“I was in a state of shock when I heard what happened,” said White. “I still can’t believe a coach would do [such a thing].”
Eaton’s rash reaction affected not only each of the players’ lives but would also lead to his own failure and in the end leave a mark on the reputation of the university.
It has been nearly 45 years since that fateful day but although it was not an event to be celebrated, members of the university said they believe it also should not be forgotten. Betchel expressed her hope for the Black 14 incident to stand as an example of a time when serious issues were present but not properly addressed and that present and future concerns will be dealt with as they arise. The title of Thursday’s event is The Black 14 and the Dream Today in line with the MLK days of dialogue theme, Dream Forward.
The planning committee came up with that because they wanted to recognize where we are in history, explained Betchel.
“We are human so there are always hurdles we have to overcome,” said Betchel. “The point of this week is to ask ‘what are some of these issues?’”
Betchel voiced her desire for students, faculty and community members alike to come together and discuss not only the issues of the past and how they have transformed but also address current issues that are hindering solidarity today.
“This is a good time to look and see how far we have come and then where do we want to go from here,” said Betchel. “We are asking what is the dream moving forward?”
