On Sept. 12, the UW American Heritage Center opened the “More than just an armband” exhibit, to show the history and legacy of the Black 14.
The Black 14 were UW black football players who were dismissed from the team in October, 1969 by then Head Coach Lloyd Eaton because the players asked for permission to wear black armbands in solidarity with the Black Student Alliance at the football game between UW and BYU.
The armbands were to protest the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ policy of prohibiting the black men from attaining the priesthood. The ban was later repealed by the church in 1978.
According to a press release by the university, “The exhibition was created by participants in the Black 14 Social Justice Summer Institute on the UW campus in July, which attracted nine high school students from Wyoming, Colorado and Ohio. Three Black 14 members participated throughout the week, and two others joined via Zoom.”.
Dr. Mary Beth Brown, the curator for the Toppan Rare Book Library, who researches student civil rights activism, runs the exhibit.
“This exhibit kind of came out of that and as a way to tell their story and give them recognition while they’re still alive.” Brown said.
“Secondly, it’s to show that the Black 14, their admittance and their dismissal and the reaction it caused set off another string of protests across the West Coast. I’m showing how the Black 14 is significant not only for UW history but for the wider social rights movement and in the black freedom movement history,” Brown stated.
Brown hopes that when especially black students come to see the exhibit that they will understand the legacy of the Black 14.
“I hope they see that students have been pushing, students of color and LGBTQ+ students have been always pushing to make campus safe spaces and to find those places. A lot of times, people say campuses are like home and this one event in history helps show students that they have made campus their home,” Brown said.
Brianna White, the black student project coordinator said the exhibit made her feel very emotional.
“It’s been 53 years since the atrocity that took place here at the University of Wyoming. The Black 14 members were kicked off the team for only asking their coach to wear armbands,” White said.
“I hope that students know how powerful they are and how important their voices are. I hope that when students see that exhibit, they see the strength and resiliency of the Black 14 and also realize just how powerful they are,” White said.
The exhibit will be open to the public until the end of December.
