Published Jun 22, 2020
The history of Iowa football and racial activism
Chris Peters
Special to HawkeyeReport.com

With a black population of approximately 4.0% the state of Iowa is not known for its racial diversity, nor would one assume that the major university in the state, the University of Iowa, would be a repeated battleground for racial equality.

Throughout its history, the University of Iowa has been both a welcoming place for black student athletes and the center of racial tension.

That being said, the University of Iowa football team has a proud legacy of activism against racial injustice that spans more than a century.

This is not to say that there have not been problems within the program, but that the program and its football coaches from Forest Evashevski to Hayden Fry and to current Head Coach Kirk Ferentz have instilled in the players the courage to stand up for what they believe in.

In many instances, this has led to players speaking out against racial injustice. In the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd on May 25th, 2020, recent players began to speak out about racial injustice in the United States and within the Iowa football program.

On June 3rd in response to University of Iowa Head Football Coach Kirk Frentez’s statement saying he wanted the team to take a unified position on either standing at attention or kneeling during the national anthem, James Daniels, a University of Iowa football player from 2015-2017, posted on twitter, “If the team collectively decides to kneel, this will bring about a cultural change for both Iowa football and the state of Iowa which I believe is long overdue!!!” (@jamsdans, June 3, 2020).

That tweet was followed up by a June 5th tweet which stated, “There are too many racial disparities in the Iowa football program. Black players have been treated unfairly for far too long.” (@jamsdans, June 5, 2020).

This tweet sparked an airing of grievances from former black Iowa football players who spoke of a need for “cultural change” within the Iowa football program in regards to its treatment of black players. While it may seem odd that a program headed by the almost universally respected Kirk Ferentz would find itself at the center of discussions surrounding the treatment of black people in America, University of Iowa athletes, and in particular, football players, have been at the forefront of these discussions for over a century.

James Daniels and the other Hawkeye football players who have come forward are not so much outliers of the football program, but are rather inheritors of a proud legacy of advocates for racial equality within the University of Iowa football program.

To begin the story activism within the Iowa football program, we must go back to the late 1800’s.

Frank Kinney Holbrook, who played at the University of Iowa beginning in 1895, is believed to have been one of the nation’s first black collegiate athletes and one of the first to compete in varsity athletics. By all accounts, Holbrook was a tremendous athlete and he paved the way for future black athletes at Iowa and other universities.

While playing football at the University of Iowa, Holbrook had to endure many racist attacks. One such incident occurred on the team’s return trip from a game at Missouri.

According to reports “...the team and substitutes, eighteen in number sat down to a hotel table to which the landlord started to bring eighteen telegraph-ordered meals. When he set his eyes on Kinney Holbrook, the unreconstructed southerner, declared that the colored player would have to eat in the kitchen, whereupon the boys arose in a body and left the hotel.” (Oelwein Register, 11/14/1895) What is amazing about this story is that it took place in 1895 when Jim Crow and segregation were widely accepted.

One year later in 1896, the Supreme Court ruled that “separate but equal” was constitutional in the Plessy v. Ferguson, legally entrenching Jim Crow laws and segregation for the next 60 years. The second thing that stands out is courage shown by Holbrook and his teammates to take a stand against racism. While not a full scale boycott, they would not eat at an establishment that did not recognize their teammate as an equal. Holbrook and his teammates would not be the last Iowa athletes to fight against racial injustice.

Another instance in which Hawkeye football players stood against the racism Holbrook faced occurred in the 1896 game in Columbia, Missouri.

“It was evident even before the game, that Missouri had no intention of giving fair pay to Iowa. . . . Iowa’s team had not yet got on the gridiron before students and townspeople commenced to yell, ‘There’s the ------ negro,’ ‘The Tigers will kill the Negro.’ . . . When Missouri’s team came on the field there were heartily cheered with the Tiger’s yell, followed by appeals from the rooters to individual players to ‘Kill the n-----.’” (Vidette Reporter, 11/10/1896)

Once again Holbrook and the team stood in the face of such harassment and did not bend. Rather, Holbrook led the Hawkeyes to a 12-0 win over Missouri and the team stood resolute. “Old Gold came out stainless. Not for ten seconds did one of Iowa’s men forget himself or lose his temper. At all times they placed themselves near and about Holbrook. Each member of the team seemed to exceed the rest in watchfulness over Holbrook, though he showed no disposition to shield himself back of others.” (Vidette Reporter, 11/10/1896)

The courage shown by Holbrook to play in light of all the threats and his teammates desire to stand with him illustrate the courage Iowa football players have taken and continue to take to stand against racism in the United States to this day.

Following in Holbrook’s footsteps and perhaps the greatest Hawkeye football player, Duke Slater (1918-1921), although much debate surrounds that claim, consistently stood firm in the face of racism, to advocate for equality for blacks.

Slater played tackle for the Iowa Hawkeyes and earned All-Big Ten status and All-American honors during his career. Slater went on to have a successful career in the NFL. In the 1920s, the NFL ownership discussed the exclusion of black athletes from the league. Slater’s success on the field, “single-handedly kept the door open for a select few African Americans to continue to join the NFL and delayed a color ban from taking effect in professional football.” (Rozendaal, Duke Slater: Pioneering Black NFL Player and Judge, p. 6)

More importantly, after the NFL did ban black athletes, two years after his retirement, Slater “fought against this injustice by organizing and coaching several African American all-star teams . . .” to “illustrate that African Americans had NFL-caliber talent and could compete against white players without racial incidents.” (Rozendaal, Duke Slater: Pioneering Black NFL Player and Judge, p. 7)

While some of these games, like the 1938 game at Soldiers’ Field against the Chicago Bears, did not go well, they nonetheless had the impact of making “blacks more eager than ever to achieve desegregation in both professional and college football.” (Smith, Outside The Pale: The Exclusion of Blacks from the National Football League, 1934-1946, 1989)

Slater’s advocacy for equality did not end on the gridiron. Slater later pursued a law degree from the University of Iowa and eventually became a judge in Chicago and was very involved in the black community. Slater “was active in the South Side Boys Club, the Boy Scouts, Provident Hospital, and the Mayor’s Commission on Human Relations.” (“A Football Legend as University of Iowa Tackle: That Was Duke Slater,” Iowa City Press-Citizen, 8/16/1966) In all of these endeavors, Slater consistently worked for the advancement of black people. Ultimately, his legacy of activism against racial inequality and his “impact outside of sports trumped his phenomenal athletic career.” (Smith, “Historical Hypocrisy of the Black Student-Athlete,” 2014)

Another Iowa football player who challenged what he saw as racial inequities was Ozzie Simmons who played running back for the Hawkeyes from 1934-1936. Throughout his career he was subject to racial insults and attacks.

A 1934 game against Minnesota stands out as one of the worst. "The Minnesota game was the most blatant attack,” Simmons said in a 1989 interview. “They were blatant with their piling on and kneeing me. It was obvious, but the refs didn't call it. Some of our fans wanted to come out on the field.” (quoted by Harty, Allhawkeyes.com)

Despite his contributions to the team, “Acrimony, more than accolades, surrounded Simmons during his varsity years. Rumors, which had begun in 1934, persisted that his teammates resented the attention he was getting and refused to block for him.” (Smith, Outside The Pale: The Exclusion of Blacks from the National Football League, 1934-1946, 1989)

Towards the end of his playing career at Iowa, Simmons had had enough. “In November, 1936, tormented by his dual existence of being cheered on Saturday and despised during the other six days a week, Ozzie Simmons quit the Iowa football team, stating that he could not take no more of the racial hatred and discrimination.” (Spivey, 1983)

Another, maybe more telling version of the story is that Simmons quit because he “felt that the Iowa mentor [Head Coach Ossie Solem] was ‘picking on me more than was necessary,’” and “that Solem told ‘me I had done little or nothing to help win the game, and that got under my skin.’” (Daily Iowan, 11/12/1936) In other words, Simmons felt like he was being singled out and while he never explicitly stated it, one could imagine that he felt this way because of his race.

Nevertheless, his quitting of the team was short-lived and he played in the next game, however, it did bring about some change in the football program. “Ozzie Simmons’ resignation from the University of Iowa athletic program did, however, have a marginal impact. A few weeks later, Homer Harris was elected captain of the Iowa team, the first black to captain a Big Ten Conference football squad.” (Spivey, 1983) While this was a small victory and “symbolic of the racial tokenism of the pre-war [World War II] years,” (Spivey, 1983) it nonetheless speaks to the activism of football players at the University of Iowa, in this case Ozzie Simmons who felt he was being treated unfairly, and their desire to fight for racial equality.

Perhaps the most recognizable Hawkeye, Nile Kinnick (1936-1939), also questioned the status quo regarding racial inequities in the United States. While winning the Heisman Trophy in 1939, Kinnick demonstrated an understanding of the events of his time far beyond his years. In his Heisman Trophy speech he said, “I thank God that I was born to the gridirons of the middle west and not to the battlefields of Europe. I can speak confidently and positively that the football players of this country would rather fight for the Heisman trophy than for the Croix de Guerre.” (Nile Kinnick, 12/6/1939)

Kinnick’s appreciation for his place in society and his empathy for those who were not as fortunate did not end there. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1941 shortly before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. While completing training for the Navy, Kinnick kept detailed journals and reflected on many things including the plight of blacks in America.

In one journal entry, Kinnick noted that, “The inequalities in human relationships are many, but the lot of the Negro is one of the worst. Here in the south this fact is tragically evident. The poor colored people are kicked from pillar to post, condemned, cussed, ridiculed, and accorded no respect, permitted no sense of human dignity. What can be done I don’t know. Nearly everyone, particularly the southerners, seem to think the only problem involved is seeing to it that they keep their place, whatever that may be. We supposedly are fighting this war to obliterate the malignant idea of racial supremacy and master-slave relationships. When this war is over the colored problem is apt to be more difficult than ever. May wisdom, justice, brotherly love guide our steps to the right solution.” (Nile Kinnick, 3/12/1942)

In another entry Kinnick laments, “It is not enough for the privileged to treat the less fortunate, or the whites to treat the colored people, with kindly tolerance and indulgent paternalism. All people of whatever creed, nationality, or color must be accorded equal dignity and human worth. Both christianity and true democracy demand this fundamental acknowledgement.” (Nile Kinnick, 5/10/1943) And finally a few days later, “As in the British Empire the real trouble has come where vested interests and racial differences are involved. Until we have put our own house in order (successfully & fairly met the Negro problem) we cannot well afford to criticize the British colonial policy.” (Nile Kinnick, 5/14/1943) In these entries, it is clear that Kinnick believed that there was a racial problem in the United States, and saw the inherent contradictions in why the United States was fighting in World War II. While he died before he was able to publicly advocate for change, his recognition of the problem belies the fact that Nile Kinnick was a man of morals who, if he had not died prematurely, would have stood up and challenged the racial inequities he saw in the country.

Following in the footsteps of Nile Kinnick was Emlen Tunnell (1946-1947). Tunnel came to Iowa after serving in the US Coast Guard during World War II. He was awarded the U.S. Coast Guard’s Silver Lifesaving Medal for saving two fellow servicemen’s lives. Following his career at Iowa, Tunnel went on to play defensive back in the NFL for the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers from 1948-1961. He was the first black member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Following his playing career in the NFL Tunnell continued to work in the NFL as a coach and in management. It is in this role that Tunnell, like other Hawkeyes before him, advocated for the advancement of blacks in the NFL. “He agitated for more African American representation at the top of management; he condemned the NFL teams for their failure to hire blacks as head coaches and as management executives.” (Smith and Wynn, p. 334) While no longer at the University of Iowa, Tunnell advocated for the advancements of blacks within the NFL. Like those Hawkeyes who came before him, Tunnel was not afraid to advocate for racial equality within the ranks of professional football.

Racial tensions in the United States and on the campus of the University of Iowa continued to grow throughout the 1960s. For the Iowa Hawkeye football team, 1969 proved to be a pivotal year in the history of the program. Before the start of spring practice, Head Coach Ray Nagel suspended two black players, “one of whom had been arrested on a bad-check charge.” (Underwood, Sports Illustrated, August 1969) Sixteen black players, including Louis Age, Coleman Lane, and Dennis Green boycotted the start of spring practice “as a protest against what the black athletes had called an ‘intolerable situation’ at the University for blacks. . . “(The Daily Iowan, 4/23/1969)

The sixteen players who participated in the boycott were subsequently dismissed from the team. That did not stop the black players from continuing to advocate for changes within the athletic department to better support black athletes. Dennis Green believed, "the school wasn't ready for us, but it was also the times. Black guys wanted to prove their manhood, their boldness, to stand up and be counted.” (Dennis Green, quoted in Sports Illustrated, 1992) “Coleman Lane, one of the dismissed athletes, said, ‘The main crux of our demands is academic, and white and black will both benefit from it, only the black will benefit more.” (The Daily Iowan, 4/25/1969) “The list of demands prepared by the Black Athletes Union (BAU), of which all 16 gridders are members, called for more adequate, specialized academic counselors provided for athletes; the extension of financial aid until graduation, even if the athlete cannot graduate in four years; . . . more autonomy in the athlete’s personal, political and social life; . . . “ (The Daily Iowan, 4/25/1969)

The demands listed by the football players and the Black Athletes Union were an attempt to improve the plight of black student athletes not only at the University of Iowa, but at universities throughout the United States. “The interesting thing to note is that most of the items the blacks demanded were implemented at Iowa, and throughout the Big Ten, within a few years, and a couple of them, within a few months.” (Grady, 25 Years, p. 28)

What separates the sixteen members of the 1969 football team from the other Iowa football players we have examined is that as “one black player stated, ‘Finally we have had some players who have had enough guts to actively sacrifice for what they believe.’” (The Daily Iowan, 4/25/1969)

The boycott cost some of the players their football careers. While some of the black players were allowed back on the team, a handful saw their college careers end prematurely because of their participation in the boycott. Rather than just speaking out against an unjust system these Iowa football players took actions to bring about the changes they sought and ultimately paid dearly for that decision. While “the saga of the University of Iowa football boycott . . . stands as a vivid example of the lack of communication and concern between the blacks and whites on this campus.” (The Daily Iowan, 11/8/1969) It also stands as a reminder and a continuation of the activism of Iowa football players to push for racial equality no matter the consequences.

Following the turbulence of the 1960s, the football program looked for more stability and in the late 1970s hired Hayden Fry, the man who would become the face of the Iowa Hawkeyes for the next two decades as he rebuilt the program.

For Iowa fans, Fry is most remembered for restoring “the Hawkeyes to national relevance, and then prominence, after two decades of dormancy.” (Emmert, Hawk Central Des Moines Register, 12/18/2019) Fry’s legacy encompasses much more than that. The most important aspect of Fry’s legacy lies in his desire to change the landscape of race relations in the United States. Fry’s ideas on race developed very early. In Fry’s own words, “[I had] black friends while growing up in Eastland and Odessa who I played with and worked with. We spent a lot of time together. They lived on the ‘wrong side’ of the tracks, but I lived there for awhile, too, so I could identify with that. When they had to sit in the back of the bus or in the balcony at the picture show, I often sat with them. By the time I reached junior high, I was genuinely bothered by the way my friends were treated. We went to different schools because the color of our skin was different, which never seemed fair to me.” (Fry, High Porch Picnic, p. 67)

Fry’s views on race and his desire to change the status quo continued to be shaped by his experiences.

“By the time I was in high school, when my black friends were playing football at Dunbar instead of with me at Odessa, I made a commitment that if I ever was in a position to change that, I would.” (Fry, High Porch Picnic, p. 67-68)

Fry finally got that opportunity when SMU was looking for a head football coach in the early 1960s. “The opportunity to open the Southwest Conference door to black athletes really excited me.” (Fry, High Porch Picnic, p. 69) So Fry, “raised the possibility of integrating the school’s football team, because I wanted to do it. . . . If I became the SMU football coach I wanted permission to recruit black players, and I knew I would have to negotiate that before accepting the job, not afterward.” (Fry, High Porch Picnic, p. 67-68)

As expected, administrators at SMU were hesitant to be the first to integrate.

“When I asked about racially integrating the team our discussions hit the wall. The question obviously surprised them, and they told me there was no chance of that happening. They said nobody in the Southwest Conference had an integrated athletic program, and SMU was not going to be the first. I told them in that case, I wasn’t interested, and our conversation ended on that note.” (Fry, High Porch Picnic, p. 67) Fry was willing to forgo his dream of being a head football coach for a cause he held dear.

Fortunately for Fry and college football, SMU administrators ultimately conceded to Fry’s demands and offered him the job. Fry was able to recruit Jerry Levias to SMU in 1965 and integrate the Southwest Conference. Looking back, Fry is “more proud of giving Jerry Levias a scholarship,’’ Fry once told a reporter, “than I am of any game, bowl game or championship I’ve ever won.’’ (Emmert, “Iowa football legend Hayden Fry dies, leaves behind Texas-sized legacy matched only by his personality,” Hawk Central Des Moines Register, 12/18/2019)

After his time at SMU, Fry transitioned to head coach at the University of Iowa in the early 1970s. While not a Iowa football player, Hayden Fry instilled in his players the desire to stand up for what they believe in and what is right.

According to Levias, “Hayden was ahead of his time. He saw talented athletes, not black or white, just athletes with potential. He stepped up and did the right thing - he gave black athletes the same opportunities white athletes received. . . Athletes under Hayden’s tutelage graduated and contributed to society. . . . Through him I received an academic, athletic and social education. He helped me to be the understanding person I am today, and taught me how to cope with the inequities of life and society.” (Levias, quoted in High Porch Picnic, p. vii) This desire to cultivate and teach Iowa football players to lead and stand up against racial injustices is a legacy of the Iowa football program that has continued to be fostered and nurtured for over 100 years. The end result is the continued activism of its players in the battle against racial injustice that we see today.

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With the death of George Floyd, nationwide protests have erupted throughout the United States, which called for societal changes with regard to the treatment of blacks in America. Former Hawkeye football players, James Daniels, Mike Daniels, and Jaleel Johnson took the opportunity to address their concerns regarding the culture of the Iowa football program and its treatment of black players.

James Daniels started the conversation on social media, while Mike Daniels and Jaleel Johnson voiced support for his calls for change. In response to James Daniels June 3rd tweet regarding kneeling for the national anthem, Mike Daniels responded, “You know they don't want to have that convo (eye emojis)” (@Mike_Daniels76, June 4, 2020)

This response prompted more conversation between fans and former players about the culture of the Iowa football program. Jaleel Johnson, recounted an incident in which he and some friends had guns drawn on them by Iowa City police and their car searched for drugs under the premise that they were mistaken for “somebody else.” (@leellxvii, June 4, 2020)

On June 5th, James Daniels posted his more direct call for change and players continued to share their stories not just of their treatment in Iowa City, but within the football complex by coaches, including strength and condition coach Chris Doyle. While many were caught off guard by the situation, it should come as no surprise that once again Iowa football players were standing against racial injustice.

From Frank Kinney Holbrook to Nile Kinnick to the sixteen black players on the 1969 team, Iowa football players have always advocated for an end to racial injustice in America and it appears this legacy will continue with the next generation of Hawkeyes.

Desmond King and Jaleel Johnson recently spoke at a Black Lives Matter protest in Iowa City while in town to help with the cleanup of the Old Capitol and Kinnick Stadium in June 2020. And on Saturday, September 5th, 2020 when Iowa takes the field against the University of Northern Iowa to start their 2020 football season, those in attendance and those watching on TV should not be surprised if the Hawkeyes kneel for the National Anthem in protest to the treatment of blacks in America.

Current Hawkeye Kaevon Merriweather made the most powerful statement as social media restrictions were lifted for the players, stating “If you cannot support us right now with this movement and with our team taking a knee during the national anthem, DO NOT support us during the football season.” (@Kaevon02, June 8, 2020)

Merriweather later qualified his post saying that the team had not made a decision, however, senior Matt Hankins declared he would kneel in his twitter post on June 13. (@Matt_Hankins1, 6/13/2020) A lot can change in the time before the Hawkeyes take the field in September, but it should not surprise people if the Hawkeye football team kneels in protest as Merriweather indicated they would.

It will not be the first, nor the last time Iowa players fight against racial injustice in America. James Daniels, Mike Daniels, Jaleel Johnson, Desmond King and many other former and current players are once again at the forefront in the battle for racial equality in the United States and the Iowa football program has a “responsibility and a tremendous opportunity at this moment to lead the change and set a new, higher standard for collegiate football.” (Ferentz, 6/12/2020)