The History of Johnny Bright and Drake University
As a student at Drake University, the history and reputation of Drake is something that I carry with me to all my future careers, so an understanding of this past is a very important tool to carry along the way. When it comes to important moments in our history, I believe Drake’s stance against racism in 1951 stands out as one of their proudest steps towards equality. Johnny Bright, an African American football player, was our star player on Drake’s desegregated football team was at Oklahoma A&M (now known as Oklahoma State) for a game, where he was assaulted on the field. Johnny did not have the ball in his possession, yet he was hit three times and breaking his jaw in the process. In the 1999 news column “Film crew visits Drake to depict "The Slugging of Johnny Bright"” (Drake University, 1999), where “Despite his broken jaw, Bright was able to throw a 61-yard touchdown pass a few plays later.” (Drake University, 1999), showing the sheer dedication to what he loved to d...