First Black Players to Enter Professional Leagues

Athletes who integrated the NBA, NFL and more.

Famous Firsts - Read on to learn about African-American athletes who broke racial boundaries in professional sports.—Britt Middleton
Charles Follis - The National Football League was officially founded in 1920, but its origins date back to 1869, at which point Blacks were barred from playing due to segregation. Charles Follis is celebrated as the first African-American to play professional football, as a member of the Shelby Athletic Club in 1902.(Photo: Public Domain)
Woody Strode  - Along with Kenny Washington, LA Rams picked up Woody Strode in 1946, ending a nearly 12-year ban on Black athletes in the NFL. Both Strode and Washington were formerly teammates with baseball legend Jackie Robinson on the 1939 UCLA Bruins football team.(Photo: Public Domain)Kenny Washington - After 31 years of limited immigration that granted athletes such as Charles Follis the opportunity to play, the NFL implemented a full ban on Black athletes in 1933. The ban was lifted in 1946, and the LA Rams became the first team to integrate after hiring Kenny Washington, a stand-out star on the football field at the University of California Los Angeles. (Photo: Public Domain)

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56th NAACP Image Awards Highlights

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Famous Firsts - Read on to learn about African-American athletes who broke racial boundaries in professional sports.—Britt Middleton

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