Carol and I have the leisure to go to the movies during the week instead of just one day during the weekend or on holidays.  Today we saw EXPRESS which told of the first Black person to be awarded the Heisman Trophy for excellence as a football player.  It was a riveting show, not only for those who enjoy the sport but for the replaying of the history of race relations in the U.S. up until attention was paid to non-violent protests espoused by Martin Luther King and, of course, by Mohandas K. Gandhi. 

The film records the career of a running back, Ernie Davis, who did remarkable things with his body to avoid tackles by opponents.  He truly deserved the Trophy, but he did not deserve the early end of his Professional career and his life from leukemia. His giving of his all to the game and eventual survival of vicious racial attacks – particularly in the crucial game Syracuse won over Texas does not quite show the personal cruelty done to him by Americans as he drove to excellence and success over a short life span.  He died at 23.

It is not so long ago but it is still fresh today the terrible things done to any “other” person who tried to enter the world that was dominated by those of the White race.  He persevered and became the first Black (Negro was the preferred term used in those days – if not the epithet commonly used) to win this Trophy despite the remarkable achievements of those who came before him, such as Jim Brown.

These films that try to capture those times do their best but it seems that still today the White leads in the stories still capture the attention of movie goers.  Who among us can tell the name of the Black actors who worked in that film featuring Dennis Quaid the demanding coach?

“Express” is the descriptive term (from the book, the Elmira Express) used to capture the train-like ability of the hero who could cut a swath through opponents and win against all odds.  It is too bad that we have to be reminded of things that happened not so long ago but which are still fresh today. 

We need such reminders that such things should never happen again - that race becomes the measure of ability instead of the dreams and successes of young people who have stars in their eyes and heroes to emulate.