Football at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Texas by Robert C. Fink

Abstract

Reviewed by: Football at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Texas by Robert C. Fink Alan C. Atchison Football at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Texas. By Robert C. Fink. (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2019. Pp. 282. Illustrations, notes, bibliography, index.) Since the 1950s, football has dominated American sports pages year round. In addition to reports of trades, drafts, game summaries, etc., current articles address themes as diverse as social protest (e.g., kneeling during the National Anthem), the lifelong effects of injuries, and dwindling youth participation. These issues reflect the game’s broad influence on American culture. Football is also a major part of black culture; most National Football League players are African American, a strong indication of minority interest and participation in football from youth leagues to university elevens. Football at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Texas examines the historical impact of America’s game on black Americans’ culture. Concentrating on the eight historically black colleges in Texas (Bishop College, Jarvis Christian College, Paul Quinn College, Samuel Huston College, Prairie View A&M College, Texas College, Texas Southern University, and Wiley College) that consistently fielded teams in the twentieth century, Robert C. Fink divides football history into eight eras. Beginning with the post-Civil War years and continuing through World War I, the first chapter briefly chronicles the overall expansion of football at both white and black colleges. This was a time of minimal sway, especially in Texas, as the first black college in Texas did not field a team until 1901, and all college teams played abbreviated schedules (far fewer than ten games). With so few games, how and when did the game become a major cultural factor in the black community? Fink’s information, using sources such as the major twentieth-century African American newspapers Dallas Express and Houston Informer, provides some answers. These dailies contain vivid accounts of major contests, descriptions of players and coaches, as well as discussions of tactics and strategies, which Fink ably incorporates into his narrative. More importantly, in these chapters readers will discover, through stories highlighting band performances, homecoming traditions, and various festivities that surrounded the annual State Fair Classic played in the Cotton Bowl on Negro Day at the State Fair of Texas, the connection between the college game and the African American community. The author implies that football was a driving force in black life. However, after many pages lauding the cultural effects of the game, Fink notes, “for many African Americans in Texas, the State Fair game ranked second in importance” to Negro Day at the State Fair (132). Elsewhere, Fink comments on newspaper accounts of other games that contain more coverage of pre-game and half-time activities than the football teams’ performance. [End Page 479] Similarly, one other claim lacks satisfactory support. For example, Fink emphasizes that segregation allowed black college football to develop “away from the control of whites” (22). Yet the growth of black collegiate football and associated groups and events mirrored the development of the white game: bands, cheerleaders, homecoming festivities, and post-season bowl games. Football at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Texas provides valuable insights into the connection between football and black culture. Fans will find it an interesting and entertaining read. But Fink’s well-documented monograph raises a number of important questions that beg for further research. Anyone endeavoring to answer those questions will find the book’s bibliography valuable and extensive. While Fink’s work does not totally “fill the void in the historiography” (2) of football at predominately black colleges, it does add a valuable portion. Alan C. Atchison San Marcos, Texas Copyright © 2020 The Texas State Historical Association