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To: Principals, Teachers and Administrators:
From Tom Shanahan and Ben Hartnell
Re: Teaching how sports and Civil Rights overlap through Michigan State’s 1960s teams that led college football integration.
I have teamed up with Ben Hartnell, a fellow Michigan State graduate, to provide a model of how teachers can use Michigan State’s 1960s teams that led college football integration as tool to teach the overlap between Civil Rights and sports.
Ben is a high school history teacher (Dr. Benjamin J. Hartnell, O.D.E. Master Teacher Designation History Certification & TESOL Endorsement) at Westerville North near Columbus, Ohio. I’m a long-time sportswriter and author of a book on Michigan State coach Duffy Daugherty’s 1960s Underground Railroad teams.
RAYE OF LIGHT
Jimmy Raye, Duffy Daugherty, the 1965-66 Michigan State Spartans and the integration of college football
Foreword by Tony Dungy
Daugherty’s 1960s teams were college football’s first fully integrated rosters. He defied a national practice of unwritten quotas that limited a roster to a half-dozen or so Black players. Soon, other colleges followed Michigan State’s example by the Spartans’ ability to smash stereotypes.
In the 1966 Game of the Century matching No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Michigan State, the Spartans lined up 20 Black players, 11 Black starters, two Black team captains, College Football Hall of Famers George Webster and Clinton Jones, and the South’s first Black quarterback to win a national title, Jimmy Raye of segregated Fayetteville, N.C. Notre Dame had one Black player, Alan Page.
Michigan State was the future and Notre Dame the past, but the Irish weren’t alone. USC’s 1962 national title team numbered only five Black players and its 1967 national title roster only seven. USC coach John McKay began to follow the Daugherty model in the late 1960s.
Below is a link to a Zoom call including the class, Ben Hartnell, Jimmy Raye and me.
The specific Youtube link:
The End Game Episode 4 – YouTube
The website link:
The End Game – Tom Shanahan Report
Hartnell’s teaching plan from Ben:
Here is a breakdown of everything I did in my classroom with “Raye of Light”. Obviously, the beauty of the book is it can be introduced and used at any point in class, and its use can be extended or shortened to meet the parameters of a unit and other time constraints that teachers find themselves up against. For example, I chose to use the book as a way to enhance my Civil Rights Movement unit that was slated to begin in late February. I’ve provided the timeline of how I used it below.
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February 1st: Unveil Jimmy Raye-themed door for Black History Month. I used this as an opportunity to briefly introduce who he was and to introduce the book. While I didn’t read anything to them at this time, I did explain how we would be using the book throughout the upcoming unit. I create my own units, so Unit #5 for me is one I call “The American Overhaul”. This is an in-depth unit that contains a lot of “call-backs” to topics and discussions we have had as a class since the start of the school year in August. These topics revist slavery, race relations, and early Civil Rights movements. When the month of February began, I was still in the middle of my 1940s/1950s unit on WWII and the Korean War/Early Cold War.
Day #1 (February 22nd): Introduce Unit #5: The American Overhaul. Lecture/discussion on “What is a revolution?” and the institution of slavery (1400s Portuguese) up to 1619.
Day #2: Lecture/discussion on institution of slavery from 1619 through Revolutionary America (including Articles of Confederation, Constitution, Northwest Territory), 1825 Seneca Village in Manhattan, First Industrial Revolution (cotton gin), and 1857 Dred Scott case. Much of this is a call-back to this material that had been covered in class in August.
Day #3: Lecture/discussion on Civil War (re-cap), Emancipation Proclamation, Juneteenth, Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, 15th), Compromise of 1877, formation of KKK.
Day #4: Lecture/discussion on growth of KKK – connect to 1955 murder of Emmett Till, Jim Crow Laws (why called Jim Crow), and examples of Jim Crow Laws (including several from North Carolina in prep for Jimmy Raye material).
Day #5: Lecture/discussion on 1921 Tulsa Race/Black Wall Street Massacre, 1931-32 Scottsboro Boys case, and 1932-1972 Tuskegee Experiment.
Day #6: Lecture/discussion on 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson case, formation of NAACP, 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 1955 Brown v. Board II, and 1957 Little Rock 9.
Day #7: Lecture/discussion on desegregating the military with call-backs to segregated units during Civil War (54th Massachusetts), American Indian Wars/Spanish-American Wars (Buffalo Soldiers, WWI (9th/10th Cavalry, 24th/25th Infantry), WWII (92nd Infantry, Red Tails), 1948 Executive Order 9981, and Korean War.
Day #8: Lecture/discussion on Claudette Colvin, Rosa Parks, and 1955-56 Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Day #9: Lecture/discussion on MLK, Jr. and his sources of Nonviolent Resistance (Thoreau, Randolph, Gandhi, Christ), Sit-ins and 1960 Greensboro, formation of SNCC and CORE, and “Freedom Rides”.
Day #10: Lecture/discussion on desegregating sports (1947 Jackie Robinson, 1959 Duffy Daugherty, MSU’s Underground Railroad, and 1965-1966 Jimmy Raye).Day #11: RAYE OF LIGHT (ROL Day 1) – Hand out numbered class-set copies of the book to students. Inside each book are four large, lined note card. Students are instructed to write down their name on the front of one card. This is repeated in the three other class periods reading the book. This creates a “book group” of 4 students (one from each period). These cards will serve as a place for them to jot down their thoughts and questions as we read. Only their names are written on the first day. I read the FOREWORD to the class.Day #12: ROL Day 2 – Students picked up their copies of the book on the way into class. I didn’t follow the chapters in order as written; instead, having read it several times, I reorganized it and jumped around and read portions of certain chapters. I would summarize the parts I didn’t read out loud. Students were told to think about specific questions as I read the chapters and jotted down their thoughts on their card. Other classes were told to respond to their “group’s” thoughts or to reference page numbers to help them find answers to questions. This really served as a great tool for the students to “talk” across four different class periods without actually being in the same room. This especially helped the sky students to want to participate and share their thoughts.
Chapter 5’s question:
If you could be either Gideon Smith or Willie Thrower, which QB would you want to be? Why? Who do you think impacted the sport in a more profound way? Why?
CHAPTER 5: MICHIGAN STATE’S EARLY PIONEERS
PAGE # How much of it did I read?
* NOTE: These page numbers match with the version of the book that has the cover with green at the bottom (and not brown). I have two different versions of the book, and they have different page numbers. The one I had the most copies of was the green version, so that’s what I went with!
Page #56 –> Read all of itPage #57 –> Read all of itPage #58 –> Read the first and last paragraph (NOTE: when numbering the paragraphs, I count paragraphs that continue from a previous page or that start of one page and finish on the next as their own paragraph).Page #59 –> Read all if itPage #60 –> Read the third through sixth paragraphsPage #61 –> Read the second through and seventh paragraphs and first sentence of eight paragraphPage #62 –> Read all of itPage #63 –> Read the first three paragraphsPage #64 –> Read the first six paragraphsPage #65 –> Read the seventh paragraphPage #66 –> Read the fourth through eighth paragraphsPage #67 –> Read the fourth through sixth paragraphsPage #68 –> Read all of it
Day #13: “Music Day”. Listen to the Top 10 songs of the 1960s. I play these songs and project the lyrics on the screen. Students listen and analyze the lyrics, beat, vocals, instruments, length, and message. (I do this for every decade from 1950-2019.)
Day #14: Lecture/discuss desegregating universities (Ross Barnett: 1962 James Meredith/Ole Miss Riots and 1963 “Game of Change” between Mississippi State and Loyola of Chicago at Kenison Fieldhouse; George Wallace: 1963 James Hood and Vivian Malone/University of Alabama).Day #15: ROL Day 3 – Students picked up their copies of the book on the way into class. Today, I read Chapter 6.
Chapter 6’s question:
Have you ever had to do something that was right but was unpopular? How did it make you feel at the time vs. now? Why did you decide to still make that decision?
CHAPTER 6: DUFFY AND HIS LEGACY
PAGE # How much of it do I read?
Page #69 –> Read all of itPage #70 –> Read all of itPage #71 –> Read the first two paragraphsPage #72 –> Read the last three paragraphsPage #73 –> Read all of itPage #74 –> Read the last three paragraphsPage #75 –> Read all of it except the last paragraphPage #76 –> Skip this pagePage #77 –> Read the second through sixth paragraphs Page #78 –> Read the first two paragraphsPage #79 –> Read the third paragraph and last four paragraphsPage #80 –> Read all of it
Day #16: Lecture/discuss 1963 “Project C” and “Bull” Connor, 1963 JFK’s Civil Rights Bill, 1963 Medgar Evers’ assassination, 1963 March on Washington, and 1963 16th Street Church Bombing and trial (including AG Bill Baxley).
Day #17: Lecture/discuss on LBJ and Civil Rights Act of 1964 (JFK’s assassination is discussed in a separate part of this unit), “Freedom Summer” of 1964, 1965 Selma, Voting Rights Act of 1965, the 24th Amendment, and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.Day #18: ROL Day 4 – Students picked up their copies of the book on the way into class. Today, I read Chapter 7.
Chapter 7’s question:If social media had been around when Bubba Smith played at Michigan State during the 1960s, what kind of accounts would he have had (Twitter, TikTok, etc.)? From what you read about some of the shenanigans he found himself involved with on campus, what present-day social media “stars” might he have been like? What are the positives and negatives of athletes on social media today?
CHAPTER 7: BUBBA SMITH
PAGE # How much of it do I read?
Page #82 –> Read the opening quote just below the word “Bubba”Page #83 –> [Picture]Page #84 –> Read all of itPage #85 –> Read the first, second, third, and seventh paragraphsPage #86 –> Read all of itPage #87 –> Read the first six paragraphsPage #88 –> Skip this pagePage #89 –> Read the last three paragraphsPage #90 –> Read the first five paragraphs Page #91 –> Read all of itPage #92 –> Read the first three paragraphsPage #93 –> Read the first paragraphPage #94 –> Read the last three paragraphs
Day #19: ROL Day 5 – Students picked up their copies of the book on the way into class. Today, I read Chapters 8 and 9.
Chapter 8 and 9’s question:
With what we’ve discussed about how the Civil Rights Movement worked to end public segregation – coupled with what you’ve read thus far about the role Michigan State had in helping to integrate college football and what you know about social media – should there be an expectation for athletes to use their platforms today to address social injustices? From Colin Kaepernick to LeBron James – is it fair to the athletes? What positives and negatives can come from doing such?
CHAPTER 8: THE MISSING HEISMAN
PAGE # How much of it do I read?
Page #95 –> Read the first paragraph below the opening quotePage #96 –> Read the fifth and seventh paragraphsPage #97 –> [Picture]Page #98 –> Read the third, fourth, fifth, and last paragraphsPage #99 –> Read the first paragraphPage #100 –> Skip this pagePage #101 –> Skip this pagePage #102 –> Skip this pagePage #103 –> Read the third, fourth, and fifth paragraphs Page #104 –> Skip this pagePage #105 –> Read the fourth and fifth paragraphsPage #106 –> Read the fourth and fifth paragraphsPage #107 –> Skip this pagePage #108 –> Skip this page
CHAPTER 9: THE HURDLER
PAGE # How much of it do I read?
Page #109 –> Read the first and second paragraph below the opening quotePage #110 –> Skip this pagePage #111 –> Skip this pagePage #112 –> Read the last four paragraphsPage #113 –> Read all of itPage #114 –> Skip this pagePage #115 –> Skip this pagePage #116 –> Skip this pagePage #117 –> Read the sixth, seventh, and eighth paragraphs Page #118 –> Read the first five paragraphsPage #119 –> Skip this pagePage #120 –> Skip this page
Day #20: Lecture/discuss on the Watts Riot in LA in 1965 and the 12th Street Riot in Detroit in 1967, and Malcom X (life, pilgrimage, assassination).
Day #21: ROL Day 6 – Students picked up their copies of the book on the way into class. Today, I read Chapters 11 and 18.
Chapter 11 and 18’s question:
What was the most exciting sporting event you have ever played in, witnessed in person, or watched on TV? What do you remember of it and why?
CHAPTER 11: THE PASSENGERS
PAGE # How much of it do I read?
Page #133 –> Read all of itPage #134 –> Read all of itPage #135 –> Read all of itPage #136 –> Skip this pagePage #137 –> Read the eighth paragraphPage #138 –> Skip this pagePage #139 –> Skip this pagePage #140 –> Skip this pagePage #141 –> Skip this pagePage #142 –> Read all of it except the last paragraphPage #143 –> Skip this page
CHAPTER 18: LAST VESTIGES OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
PAGE # How much of it do I read?
Page #217 –> Read all of itPage #218 –> Read the first paragraphPage #219 –> Read the last paragraphPage #220 –> Read all of itPage #221 –> Read all of itPage #222 –> Read all of itPage #223 –> Skip this pagePage #224 –> Skip this pagePage #225 –> Skip this pagePage #226 –> Skip this pagePage #227 –> Skip this pagePage #228 –> Skip this pagePage #229 –> Skip this page
Day #22: Lecture/discuss Stokely Carmichael and “Black Power”, Black Panthers, 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico, Vietnam (in terms of black casualties vs. white casualties), and assassination of MLK, Jr.
Day #23: ROL Day 7 – Students picked up their copies of the book on the way into class. Today, I read Chapters 1 and 3.
Chapter 1 and 3’s question:
What are the biggest issues pressing sports today? Are these issues also apparent in society? If history can be an indicator, what role do sports play in addressing and helping resolve such societal issues?
CHAPTER 1: MICHIGAN STATE’S UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
PAGE # How much of it do I read?
Page #1 –> Read all of itPage #2 –> Read all of itPage #3 –> Read the first four paragraphsPage #4 –> Read all of itPage #5 –> Read all of it but stop after first sentence of the seventh paragraphPage #6 –> Skip this pagePage #7 –> Skip this pagePage #8 –> Skip this pagePage #9 –> Read all of itPage #10 –> Read all of itPage #11 –> Read the first paragraphPage #12 –> Skip this pagePage #13 –> Read the fourth through seventh paragraphsPage #14 –> Read the first three paragraphsPage #15 –> Read all of it
CHAPTER 3: SEABROOK AND E.E. SMITH
PAGE # How much of it do I read?
Page #29 –> Read all of itPage #30 –> Skip this pagePage #31 –> Read the fourth through seventh paragraphsPage #32 –> Read the ninth paragraphPage #33 –> Read the last paragraphPage #34 –> Read the first paragraphPage #35 –> Read the last paragraphPage #36 –> Read the first three and last paragraphsPage #37 –> Read all of itPage #38 –> Read the first two paragraphsPage #39 –> Read the sixth, seven, and eighth paragraphsPage #40 –> Read the fifth through eighth paragraphsPage #41 –> Skip this pagePage #42 –> Skip this page
Day #24: Lecture/discuss Affirmative Action and 1978 Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, U.S. Presidential Elections of 2008 and 2012 (Barack Obama), U.S. Presidential Election of 2020 (Kamala Harris), 2022 Ketanji Brown Jackson and U.S. Supreme Court.
Day #25: ROL Day 8 – Students picked up their copies of the book on the way into class. Today, I read Chapter 2.
Chapter 2’s question:If you could sit down with Jimmy Raye and ask him any question, what would you ask? Provide 3-5 such questions.
CHAPTER 2: SEABROOK AND E.E. SMITH
PAGE # How much of it do I read?
Pages #16-28 –> Read all of it
Day #26: Lecture/discuss 1985 MOVE of Philadelphia and satchel bombing.
Day #27: Lecture/discuss 1991 Rodney King and 1992 LA Riots.
Day #28: Lecture/discuss 2013-14 formation of Black Lives Matter after Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner, and 2020 George Floyd.
Day #29: Lecture/discuss future of race relations, BLM, and Civil Rights Movement.
Day #30 (April 26th): ROL Day 9 – Q&A with Jimmy Raye!
Day #31: ROL Day 10 – Write thank you cards for Jimmy Raye.
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Students received completion/participation points for their note cards, but that’s not necessary. You could supplement a paper or separate research along the way as well. I offered the book up for any student who wanted to read it cover-to-cover, and several took advantage of the offer.
All-in-all, it’s a remarkable learning tool that really helped my students make connections between the not-so-long-ago past (a quote of yours that I absolutely love) and today.
here for instructions in PDF on how to teach a class.
file:///C:/Users/shann/OneDrive/Desktop/Hartnell%20Classroom%20Use%20PDF.pdf
I hope you’ll consider this teaching tool. As I always say when I speak to kids, segregation is recent history — not ancient. Jimmy Raye and Michigan State offer an engaging method to tell the story.
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If you have questions or would like the lessons plans in a PDF form sent by attachment, contact me, Tom Shanahan, at shanny4055@aol.com
My website:
Sports news that connects us all| Tom Shanahan Report | Writer of “Raye of Light”
