The University of Massachusetts Amherst has signed the Okanagan Charter, committing itself to a transformative vision when it comes to health, well-being, and campus culture. A number of different universities across the country, such as the University of California Berkeley, Cornell University, and the University of Michigan, have joined the Okanagan Charter. The Charter has two calls of action; embedding health into administration, operations, and academic mandates and ensuring health promotion action and collaboration are being led locally and globally.
Specifically, UMass has committed to focusing on health and well-being for students, faculty, and staff; sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion; and the built and natural environment. The signing of the Charter symbolizes UMass’s effort to lead the university and the country as a model of a more holistic view of health as a university.
Present at the Charter signing were the following:
Ann Becker, Director of Public Health
Betsy Cracco, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Campus Life and Wellbeing
Anna Maria Siega-Riz, Dean of the School of Public Health and Health Sciences
Tilman Wolf, Associate Chancellor and Senior Vice Provost
Alaina Macaulay, Senior Director for Inclusion and Strategic Engagement
Richard Yeager, Director of Campus Planning
Shayan Raza, President of the Student Government Association
In a speech given by Raza, he commented on how important it is for students to participate in focus groups that give the university feedback on topics such as the environment, mental health, and physical health. Each university that joins the Charter determines how it will implement the values and principles of the Charter into its campus.
UMass appears to be taking a student-centered approach. In a presentation to the Student Government Association, Betsy Cracco outlined the university’s approach as not to fire more faculty but to have students be a leading force to bring attention to the mental health climate on campus. Worries were raised about whether too much responsibility is placed on students rather than the university to allow the Charter to succeed in its mission.
The National Football League (NFL) has seen a disproportionate number of Black players for decades. However, in the league’s early years, Black players faced significant barriers to entry. From 1933 to 1946, a gentleman’s agreement between all NFL franchises made it nearly impossible for Black players to be accepted into the league, no matter how talented and deserving. Despite their exceptional skills, the NFL ignored players such as Kenny Washington, Jerome “Brud” Holland, and Wilmeth Sidat-Singh.
Case 1: Kenny Washington, a 195-pound halfback, was an exceptional college football player during the late 1930s. “Kenny Washington is the best football player I’ve ever seen,” said Jacky Robinson. With his size, speed, and remarkable strength, Washington had all the potential in the world, which led him to become an All-American. Those who had seen him play claimed that he was not just the best football player on the Pacific Coast that season, but the best in the last ten years, even in the entire history of the region’s football. Despite setting records for career rushing and passing at UCLA, Washington was surprisingly ignored in the 1940 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Chicago Bears in the second-rate AAFC.
Case 2: New Yorker Jerome “Brud” Holland was the first black player to play for Cornell University, where he’d played varsity all four years. He was well known for his end-around play and excelled in offensive and defensive positions. He was named for five-different All-American teams, becoming the first person of color to do so since Paul Robeson in 1918. In 1938, he received honors again, making him the first Black athlete to be recognized in consecutive years since Robeson. Once again, despite clearly deserving to be in the NFL, he was also snubbed, failing to receive an offer.
Case 3: Sidat-Singh was an adopted son of a Hindu physician and attended DeWitt Clinton High School in New York. He joined the Syracuse varsity team as a junior after being convinced by a coach who noticed him playing intramural football. He became one of the best passers in the nation and helped Syracuse beat rivals such as Penn State and Cornell. However, when playing against colleges in the south, such as the University of Maryland, he was relegated to the bench since those institutions segregated Black players. He, too, did not receive any -offer from the NFL.
Though Washington was initially barred from joining the NFL, he did eventually join, thus breaking the color barrier, when the Cleveland Rams relocated to the publicly owned Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, funded by black and white taxpayers. Because of this multiracial taxpayer population, there was immediate pressure on the relocated franchise to integrate black players. This and in conjunction with the “democratic idealism” started by the Second World War, helped break down the NFL’s “gentleman’s agreement.”
He soon became a regular starter for the Broncos and had one of the best rookie seasons. Briscoe would then move to a new team, where he was switched to the wide receiver position, despite showing success as a quarterback. After retiring from sports, he became a successful financial broker. Briscoe later worked as a director for the Boys and Girls Club and founded a football camp for kids.
Briscoe, in many ways, paved a path for many black quarterbacks despite his short-lived stint in the position. One of the most influential black quarterbacks to follow up Briscoe is Doug Williams, who was the first black quarterback to win and play a Superbowl with the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXII on January 31, 1988, in San Diego, California against the Denver Broncos ushering in a new era. Ever since Super Bowl XXII, there has been a slow uptick in black quarterback starters.
Since the 1980s and 1990s, black quarterbacks started becoming more commonplace, with notable names such as Doug Williams, Randall Cunningham, Steve McNair, and Warren Moon. The most recent season had a record-breaking 11 black quarterbacks starting in the NFL, including a first-time-ever duel of Black quarterbacks in a Super Bowl, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles. The idea that Black players are less intelligent and make up for that deficit with their “natural” athleticism has been rechallenged time and time by their demonstrated excellence in the “thinking man’s” position.
It is thanks to the brave and talented Black athletes of the NFL of the past and present that we can see the flaws in such stereotypes and prejudices. Their hard work and dedication have shattered barriers and paved the way for future generations of Black athletes to thrive in all aspects of the game.
However, while progress has been made, there is still work to be done in terms of equality and representation in sports. It is important for the media, fans, and the industry as a whole to recognize and appreciate the talent and contributions of Black athletes and to actively work towards creating a more inclusive and diverse sports culture.
The NFL’s history of excluding black players is a dark stain on its legacy.
Despite the immense talent and skill possessed by many black athletes, they were denied the opportunity to play in the league for over a decade due to a league-wide “gentleman’s agreement.” However, through the persistence and determination of players like Kenny Washington, Jerome Holland, and Sidat-Singh, the color barrier was eventually broken, paving the way for future generations of Black athletes to make their mark in the league.
Today, the NFL boasts a record-breaking number of Black quarterbacks, and the recent Super Bowl featuring two black quarterbacks facing off against each other is a testament to the progress that has been made. The stories of Fritz Pollard, Marlin Briscoe, and Doug Williams remind us of the challenges Black quarterbacks face and the incredible talent and resilience that has led to their success. It is important to continue to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Black athletes in the NFL and to work towards a future where all players, regardless of race or background, are given an equal opportunity to succeed.
UMass’ Afrodites, an on-campus African dance group, prepare to begin their preformance. (Photo by Christmaelle Vernet)
By: Christmaelle Vernet
AMHERST- As Black History Month rolls to an end, UMass’ Black Student Union organized its annual Black History Month Showcase on Feb 26. BSU released a statement earlier this month describing the event as “a night to celebrate our Black community and all the talent within it. It’s not one you can’t afford to miss.” The showcase took place in the Student Union ballroom, beginning at 7 p.m. and concluding at 10 p.m.
It is a semiformal event accompanied with a color palette guests are encouraged to wear , with this year’s theme being modeled after a sunset. The showcase’s main focus is being a platform for various talents from Black UMass students and celebrating the Black Diaspora. The menu reflected these aspirations, serving dishes from African, Afro-Caribbean and African American cultures. Guests enjoyed plates of Jollof rice, macaroni and cheese, sweet plantains, fried and jerk chicken, etc. Performances ranged from singing acts to spoken word submissions as well as dynamic dance performances that left the audience on their feet.
The show was opened by upcoming rap artist Kid Fob. Performances by the UMass Gospel Choir, the award-winning Insanely Prestigious Step Team, SOCA (Students of Caribbean Ancestry and the UMass Brotherly Union were also included.
In between acts, the audience engaged in multiple crowd games such as a fashion show showing off some of UMass’ best dressed, as well as a dance contest where guests got to show off some of their best dance moves. Together with a DJ, who played music from a variety of different decades such as the 90s and 2000s.
The evening concluded with a dance party, where participants were able to dance to some of their favorite Black classic line dancing songs such as the “Cupid Shuffle” and “Jersulama”. Closing out the event with fun, community and culture.
Everyday when I walk around campus, I see lamp posts with banners on them. ‘BE REVOLUTIONARY’ is what’s written on them in big, bold text.
I read these banners and remember all the reasons why UMass does the opposite of what they push to their students. This logo has never been about what UMass has stepped up to do, but about everything students have done against the challenges they face here.
I was a freshman still attending different club meetings, still trying to figure out the bus system, and deciding my favorite dining hall. But all of the fun quintessential college experiences got put to the side as hate crimes began to target black minority students.
During my third week of courses, a hate crime occurred at Melville hall, UMass’predomentality black freshman dorm . I was sure that something would be done to help the students affected, or efforts would be introduced to prevent something of this magnitude from ever happening again. But,I came to realize that institutions like UMass aren’t intentionally built to protect its students, and will fail into protecting those that harm them.
After multiple incidents targeting Black students took place that semester, students organized and created the UMass Amherst chapter of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). This gave me hope, but there was a vital piece to the puzzle missing: Administration.
Ever since, there hasn’t been a semester where administration hasn’t rushed to mass send emails (even with spelling errors) about occurrences of racism targeted towards Black students.
Another issue that has progressively gotten more intense this semester is sexual assault. Just in September, we’ve watched how the school hides behind policies that protect alleged rapists, instead of trying to actually change campus policies to help sexual assault survivors.
Three free therapy sessions and a few excused absences cannot undo the damage that happens when a person gets victimized, and the school perpetuates this state of victimization in their delay of passing this bill.
In the same month, a racist email was sent to multiple Black student organizations. The eugenics filled email has contributed to the unsafe environment that Black students have felt on campus, but this is nothing new.
Black at UMass Amherst is an Instagram account created by students in June of 2020, the summer when there was a massive influx of support for the Black Lives Matter movement following the murder of George Floyd. The account’s goal is to show the experiences of Black students at UMass, many recent, and a significant number of incidents going back a few years. These experiences include racism happening in classes, in friends groups, by random people on campus, and even from professors and staff who are supposed to be there to help students.
Because of these incidents, a student organization called the Racial Justice Coalition submitted a 57-page document proposing what they believe are the steps necessary in developing an anti-racist campus. While the RJC touched upon how to uplift BIPOC students and staff, the administration’s response mainly focused on how we were already reaching those goals. Yet somehow we’re still here.
The school will host lectures, invite speakers, list resources on campus to go to, but there’s no action to prevent future people from being victimized by their professors and peers. Time and time again students show up to demand action and policy change from the school. The UMass administration assures us they can handle the situation, but we continue to face the same problems every year.
Subbaswammy’s most recent statement about the racism on campus shows some action being done about the racist emails but not only should this have been his first response, but there hasn’t been any substantial progress made from the last time he had to address campus.
Students have been organizing, helping each other, and stepping up when administration fails. UMass, we’re revolutionary, now it’s your turn.
Photos are from the ‘Be Revolutionary’ march hosted by the UMass Amherst Chapter of the NAACP (National Association of the Advancement of Colored People) on Thursday, October 14 2021. This march took place after a series of racist incidents targeting Black students on campus occurred in September. Racist incidents on campus have been occurring for years.
Students stand at march. Signs read from second in on the left. “WE NEED CHANGE / ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” ; “HOLD UMASS ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALLOWING HATE” ; “BLACK STUDENTS MATTER”
“In years past on-campus newspaper have had places for black people…. people are putting their bodies and statements out there and their demands… This is how change happens. Change happens with dialogue and being present out here.”
Amilcar Shabazz Afro-American Studies Professor
Students at march. White sign, written on it “HATE US CAUSE THEY AINT US!”
“It was honestly all the black orgs together with the NAACP that’s how we were able to stay successful… We are so grateful that a lot of people showed up… It showed that they did really care about the community like that. This event needed to happen to show students that they have a support group. That they can always count on the black organizations on campus to stand for them, to fight for them, to advocate for them. Even when UMass isn’t doing it. We are so grateful that it was successful even though some of the vice-chancellors locked their doors, which was really disrespectful.”
Tina Noël President of UMass Amherst Chapter of NAACP. Class of ’22, biology major.
Students at march. White sign reads “OVER IT.” . Brown sign reads “BLACK STUDENTS MATTER”
“No Justice No Peace”
“Black Students Matter”
“What do we want CHANGE! When do we want it NOW!”
Student chants
Students walking inside Whitmore Administrative Building. Students sign has graphic of raised fists, and megaphone. Sign reads in red text “WE NEED CHANGE!” and in black “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!’. Student is holding NAACP’s list of demands to UMass. Students marching in Whitmore Administrative Building. Signs from far left: “BLACK STUDENTS MATTER / MEET OUR DEMANDS” ; “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”. Students marching past South College. Sign reads “BLACK STUDENTS MATTER”.
For more information and to stay up to date, follow @ umassnaacp
The Rebirth Project 