Trey Kay Published

Us & Them: Shack! A Civil Rights Story

Us & Them - Shack! A Civil Rights Story

At a time when the President of the United States questions the patriotism of African American football players protesting social injustice, we present the civil rights struggle of another African American who, nearly 50 years ago, broke a color barrier in the NFL — James “Shack” Harris, the first black player in NFL history to earn a job as starting quarterback.

On this week’s episode of the “Us & Them” podcast: how American football has played a role in America’s civil rights struggle.

From West Virginia Public Broadcasting and PRX, this is “Us & Them,” the podcast where we tell the stories about America’s cultural divides.

Subscribe to “Us & Them” on Apple PodcastsNPR One or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Share your opinions with us about these issues, and let us know what you’d like us to discuss in the future. Send a tweet to @usthempodcast or @wvpublic, or leave a comment on Facebook.com/usthempodcast.

And if you enjoyed this episode, join our community and sustain “Us & Them” with a pledge of support