ATLANTA — A new exhibit at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta is highlighting civil rights trailblazers.
Yomand Brown, who works with the College Football Hall of Fame, showcased the exhibit featuring the story of the Wyoming Black 14 and their impact on college football.
"We all, as individuals, have pivotal moments in our lives where we have the opportunity to rebound and be resilient," Brown said. "So what these men encountered over 50-plus years ago is an opportunity to shape the rest of their lives.”
The tale of the Wyoming Black 14 can be traced back to the late 1960s as well as to Metro Atlanta resident Tony McGee.
McGee knows what it's like to battle for a championship. The Super Bowl winner's journey started in college during one of the most turbulent times in American history.
"In 1969, a protest went on at our school, the University of Wyoming," McGee said. "I was going for the rights of individuals. That’s what I’ve always been for.”
McGee and the Cowboys were set to battle the Brigham Young University, a school sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At the time, the Mormon church did not allow Black priests.
A group of 14 football players decided to stand in solidarity with the Black Student Alliance and wear black armbands in protest. However, when the group asked their head coach, Lloyd Eaton if they could wear the armbands for the game, he kicked them off the team.
"I did not think about it for many years," McGee said. "When I played professional football for 14 years, I never mentioned the school I went to.”
Decades later, after trying to participate in a battle bigger than themselves, McGee and the rest of the Wyoming 14, as they were called, would heal their battle scars and mend relations with both the University of Wyoming and BYU.
From battling bitterness to tackling food insecurity, the Wyoming 14 teamed with BYU to hand out over one million lbs. of food to those in need. One of the Wyoming 14, Mel Hamilton, converted to Mormonism after not even knowing what a Mormon was in the late 1960's.
"While they might have been upset with being removed from the football team, they changed and championed those stories into feeding souls," Brown said. "Their story speaks to the fabric and foundation of our sport that we love, college football.”
While a championship isn't on the line in this latest battle, love, grace and legacy are. The Wyoming 14 exhibit runs through April at the College Football Hall of Fame.
"That’s the beauty of the story," McGee said. "The story ends with two adversaries working together for good.”