Collective Action Successes of the Black14

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While the country as a whole was fighting the way though many civil rights issues concerning African Americans, each state had citizens that were going through their own struggles that led to protests. At the University of Wyoming, 14 African American football players, later known as the Black 14, wanted to protest their football game against Brigham Young University, due to the university’s association with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The LDS church had rules against allowing African American citizens from being part of the priesthood. The Black 14 along with the University of Wyoming’s Black Student Alliance felt that with all the changes the country was going through, the LDS church should also make changes to be more accepting of African Americans. The Black 14 wanted to wear black armbands while they competed with Brigham Young University the upcoming weekend. They decided to go talk to their coach Lloyd Eaton before they went along with their protest. They had worn the black armbands to their meeting with Coach Eaton and as soon as he saw the arm bands he dismissed them from the team. Although the Black 14 never got to protest the game because they were kicked off the team, this group of young men received both local and national attention. The national effects of the Black 14 mainly had to do with Brigham Young University and the LDS churches’ racist practices; while the local debate was focused on the constitutionality of the dismissal of the 14 African American football players. This case shows that collective action can have many remarkable outcomes, even if the original protest does not go as planned. Whether the protest is national or local, there are 3 key elements that are needed for...

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...uner Schubert, Box 2, Folder 11, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Irate Black Athletes Stir Campus Tension, Irene Kettuner Schubert, Box 1, Folder 26, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Letter to: Black Student Alliance, University of New Mexico, Irene Kettuner Schubert, Box 2, Folder 8, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Pokes May Show Way to San Jose, Irene Kettuner Schubert, Box 2, Folder 9, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
Resolution, Irene Kettuner Schubert, Box 2, Folder 8, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Stanford Says LDS Must Reinterpret Word of God, President’s Office Records, Box 437, Folder 1, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
To: student newspapers for publication next issue, Irene Kettuner Schubert, Box 2, Folder 8, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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