African American Athletes Before 1968: Claude "Buddy" Young

Racist attitudes were prevalent on campus and in America in the 1940's but sports fans were willing to make exceptions to cheer for exceptional black athletes. This video shows African American running back Claude "Buddy" Young scoring a touchdown against Pittsburgh in an October 1944 game to the cheers of whites in the audience. However, it is important to note that not even athletes were exempted from racial discrimination in businesses and housing as even Buddy Young could not get his haircut in the white barbershops of Champaign.