4.1969: Wyoming Bans 14 Black Athletes for Planned Protest

Have you ever heard of the Black 14? Not many have. It is the story of 14 Black student-athletes from the 1969 University of Wyoming (UW) football team who were unfairly kicked off the team for requesting to participate in a peaceful protest planned by the Black Students’ Alliance (BSA) during an upcoming game versus Brigham Young University (BYU), Black14.net reported.

THE BLACK 14: WYOMING FOOTBALL 1969

Set in the late 1960s at the pinnacle of the Civil Rights Movement, THE BLACK 14 chronicles the experience of Wyoming’s 14 Black players who attempted a peaceful protest against BYU and the Mormon Church’s ban on Black priests.

— Tony McGee (@TonyMcGeeShow78) September 2, 2020

​​This protest was in response to a tenet held by the Mormon church that owns BYU, stating that African-Americans could not ascend to the priesthood.  

Later, four Black track athletes at Wyoming quit in solidarity with the football players. In 2019, the university apologized to the “Black 14.”

We are pleased to celebrate The "Black 14: Wyoming Football 1969" documentary, that debuted Feb. 2017, winning a Gold World Medal at the @NYFTVFilmAwards pic.twitter.com/fTzLaYGfEi

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) April 11, 2018

1969: 14 black football players at University of Wyoming are dismissed after racial protest. https://t.co/gNVJkRl6lq pic.twitter.com/4g0CKTg8AJ

— The New York Times Archives (@NYTArchives) November 9, 2015