In 1967, 14 players from the Wyoming Cowboys Football team asked Coach Lloyd Eaton permission to protest the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint’s policy on barring any Black persons from becoming priests. Those 14 students wanted to wear black armbands during a game against Brigham Young University.
Those 14 players were dismissed from the team for their protest and were stripped of the chance to continue in a then very successful Wyoming football team.
In 2019, the university officially recognized the dismissal as a mistake in a letter to the group, now known as the Black 14.
The letter apologizes for stripping the players of the college careers they deserved and said,” “Not to be heard, to be shunned, and to have your collegiate careers derailed as both students and athletes is a tragedy.”
UW Athletics Director Tom Burman delivered the apology letter to surviving members of the Black 14 at an official dinner during 50th anniversary activities in Sep. 2019 on the UW campus.
“It was good to see the university recognize its mistake here,” senior Jordan Johnson said. “Obviously a letter is nowhere near enough compensation for the issues the 14 faced, but it’s a good start to working towards a solution.”
“I think it’s a good move to reach out for forgiveness, but now the process needs to be focused on making sure that racism and inequity are addressed fully here,” senior Gina Wilkson said.
In the two years since that 50th anniversary apology, the university has made some efforts to reportedly undergo the process that both Johnson and Wilkson thought were necessary.
The spearhead of this process has been the UW Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, which has worked with other units across campus to develop the Black 14 Social Justice Summer Institute.
The Institute is a multiday program focused on bringing in high school students and providing research, experience, and insight into problems facing the Black community. The program also serves to help direct Black students to the university and get them enrolled.
“I think there is benefit in this program if it works out like it is supposed to,” Johnson said. “It serves to address the problems and make students aware of racial discrimination and systematic issues, while also trying to encourage a growth of diversity on campus.”
“There is some issues in my opinion with focusing part of the instate on pulling in more African-American to the university rather than explicitly solving the problems the school currently has,” Wilkson said. “But I do think creating a more diverse environment should help us identify what’s wrong and get those students perspective on solving it.”
The inaugural institute will be held from Jul. 17 to Jul. 23 in 2022. Reportedly, members of the Black 14 are set to appear and participate in the events as well as many others.
Furthermore, the Black 14 have reportedly contributed financial assistance to the institute in their ongoing efforts to collaborate with the university.
According the university, over $14,000 was raised from 47 gifts for the Black 14 Social Justice Summer Institute, adding to the over $25,000 raised from 83 gifts last year.
An art exhibition is also being planned to be hosted by the UW Art Museum during the Summer. The exhibit is planned to include artifact, news articles, photos, oral histories, and more, and will be hosted Jun. 4 to Aug. 6 of 2022.
“I think in order for this to work and respect the issue in a way that brings the best solvency, you have to include the 14 and make sure they are getting to be involved and have their voices heard,” Johnson said.
“Without a doubt, if they want to speak and want to participate, they should be made the main focus,” Wilkson said. “It’s their suffering that needs to be addressed and made sure it never happens again.”
In Nov. of 2020, the Black 14 partnered with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to distribute 180 tons of food to nine cities throughout the nation. Among those recipients was the Laramie Cathedral Home for Children, as well as the UW Food Pantry.
“The important thing about this is giving back. We turned a tragedy into a philanthropy, and part of our philanthropy is to give back,” member of the Black 14, John Griffin said. “We’ve had good lives. As a group, we decided several years ago to not let that incident 52 years ago define us for the rest of our lives. Giving back to those in need; that’s what it’s all about.”
