Speaker on African American Sports History
A lecture related to little-known African American sports history will lead off a series of events celebrating African American History Month at the Central Library. On Wed., Feb. 7, historian Scott Ellsworth will discuss his research uncovering a secret basketball game played between segregated teams during World War II. Ellsworth’s talk will begin at 4:10 p.m. in the Community Room.
Ellsworth is the author of The Secret Game: A Wartime Story of Courage, Change, and Basketball’s Lost Triumph. He teaches history at the University of Michigan and has written extensively on racial issues in American life in The New York Times and Smithsonian Magazine, among other publications. One of his areas of interest is teaching students oral history techniques. After Ellsworth’s talk, there will be a question-and-answer session with Andrew Maraniss, author of Strong Inside: Perry Wallace and the Collision of Race and Sports in the South, followed by a reception. This event is sponsored by the Central Library and the Wild Bunch.
For Questions, please contact Mary Anne Caton Sr. Consultant for Educational and Interpretive Programs at mary.a.caton@vanderbilt.edu.