The FAMUAN: Friday, February 3, 2012 - Black History Month Special

1959

Vintage Edition

Official Student Publication Vol. 27 , NO.7

Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, Tallahassee, florida

‘Master Craftsman’ captures Civil Rights in cement, stone

nities that have shaped my child and adulthood is one that I excitedly embrace.”

After two terms in the Florida House of Representatives, he announced last November that he’d be running for representative of District 29. Bullard attended FAMU from 1995-1999 and earned a Bachelor’s of Science in history and a minor in education. He has noticed the changes to the campus since his collegiate tenure.

“The campus has ex-

February 3, 2012

panded tremendously since I was a student. The new Student Union, Recreation Center and journalism school are definitely great additions to campus.”

Elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2010, he currently serves on six different subcommittees within the Florida House of Representatives.

“In my role as a state legislator I am a better researcher on different topics

Bullard Page 3

LeMoyne unveils the ‘Right’ exhibit

Keenan Doanes The Famuan Charlie Scott-Smith, a sculptor at Master Craftsman.

By Tommy Hawkins

Fourteen Terrazzo panels constructed by the Florida State Master Craftsman Studio will honor Civil Rights Activists, the Tallahassee Bus Boycott and McQueary’s Lunch Counter sit-in of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

“These Terrazzo side panels were crafted by the studio and contain images and text of significant civil rights events that took place in Tallahassee,” Wayne Spinx, sculptor for Master Craftsman Studio.

Terrazzo is cement-based like a sidewalk, but the pigment in terrazzo is made of different stones and other material including shells, mother of pearl and even chips of mirror.

“Being a part of such a historical piece for Tallahassee grew in importance for the studio the further we progressed on the project,” said Phil Gleason, studio manager for Florida State Master Craftsman Studio.

“As we realized the gravity of the artwork, it also dawned on us what a significant piece of history this will be for Tallahassee. It was an honor to collaborate on such a necessary story telling.”

The Craftsman Studio took images they received from the city and mixed different colors in the terrazzo to create the enlarged image on the panels.

Spinx said terrazzo gives you more options as far as different colors and different textures you can create with the different types of stone included.

The city created the general layout of the panels, which included photographs, protest signs, counter and bus images.

The City Manager selected the committee members, said Dan Donovan of the Leon County Planning Department.

Donovan said the committee was made up of veterans of the sit-in demonstra-

Craftman Page 3

Anniversary sparks alumni memories

By Natalie Johnson Florida A&M is approaching its 125th anniversary this year, yet flagrant headlines detract from this extraordinary milestone.

Usually, that’s the moment when FAMU students revere the people who they can relate to and judge their beloved university better than any critic. Alumni.

The student body may represent the possibilities, fortune and tenacity of FAMU, but alumni represents the progression and effectiveness.

El’Tanya Brown, a 1998 elementary education graduate from Ocala, Fla., says that going to FAMU puts a person in a league of greatness.

“FAMU was my training ground to prepare me to go out and compete in the real world. I was taught how to market myself to get my foot in the door. I was groomed to be stellar and professional in all my endeavors to solidify myself as a permanent and vital fixture in any arena,” said Brown, the 2012 Military Spouse of the Year nominee.

Then there are alumni who can articulate a time where segregation was a reality instead of a pastime. Alumni are the ones who put the significance of FAMU in perspective. They understand the meaning and purpose of the university and helped to create the acclaimed university it is today.

Eva B. Mannings, who earned a degree in business, graduated from FAMU in 1946 when the school was called FAMC, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes.

“There were several teachers who were influential in having me know about FAMC. They talked about the programs and activities FAMC had. I had a neighbor

who went to FAMC and she shared with me stories about FAMC. So, when I finished [high school], I got a Florida state scholarship and I was eligible to attend the college, so I came and I liked it,” said Mannings, the Miami native.

“The skills, the treatment and the attitude that I got from FAMC are lifelong. I’ll never forget it.”

But, on this third day of Black History Month, one can’t help but reflect on why an institution like FAMU is important for African-Americans. It’s been 51 years since Florida State University desegregated, 53 years for the University of Florida and about 50

Alumni Page 3

Dwight Bullard works hard for education

By Ramzey Smith During college, professors and advisers often tell students their future is what they make it, and the possibilities are limitless. For Florida A&M alumnus Dwight Bullard, this was the best advice he could have ever taken.

“Public service is what I have been brought up around and enjoy doing,” said Bullard. “The opportunity to go back to and protect the interest of the commu-

Tamisha Hawkins The Famuan LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts Host “Civil Right” Art Exhibition

By Dominique Mayes Today, the LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts will reveal its Black History Month Exhibit themed “Civil Right” from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The exhibit will consist of works from and inspired by the Civil Rights Movement.

This exhibit is a combination of pieces from LeMoyne’s traveling artists. Karl Zerbe, a former Florida State professor, will showcase his works that were inspired by events witnessed during the Civil Rights Movement.

Zerbe immigrated to the United States from Germany to escape Nazi persecution. He was touched by the way African-Americans were being treated during this time and dedicated his art to expressing the hostility he saw. Many of his former works were destroyed by the Nazis.

There will be portraits by Mickey Adair of local and national Civil Rights Activists, leaders and noted people

along with images from the funeral of local Civil Rights Activist, Rev. C.K. Steele.

LeMoyne’s affiliated artist Kenneth Falana and visual arts professor at Florida A&M will showcase his private print collection of Civil Rights pieces.

Among these pieces will be enlarged black and white photos of Tallahassee is the 60’s. The exhibit will include works from other affiliated artists such as, Yvonne Tucker, Earl Johnson, Dean Mitchell and Chester Williams.

Joining into a partnership with Florida A&M’s Meek-Easton Black Archives Research Center and Museum, the show will also highlight how FAMU faculty, like Arteberry White, Lewis Hooper, Hobie L. Williams and Arthur Berry, were instrumental in LeMoyne’s beginnings.

LeMoyne is excited to

Art Page 3

February, 3, 2012

The Famuan

Page 4

February 3, 2012

The Famuan

Page 3

Alumni about 50 years for the University of Miami, so why consider a HBCU? Cynics would probably ask this question but alumni would answer it.

Valeria Crump Robinson-Baker, a 1979 pharmacy graduate and a third-generation Rattler,

Bullard I am a better researcher on different topics thanks to the professors I had while attending FAMU,” said Bullard.

Along with his political career, Dwight has another responsibility that is just as big, if not larger.

His minor in education came in handy when he decided to become a teacher. Beginning in 1999, Bullard is now a seasoned educator, with 13 years under his belt.

“Being in the Department of History and Political Science prepared me for my job as a history teacher in every way, from student engagement to lecture preparation,” said Bullard.

Chantel Jackson, an education student, was delighted to see someone accomplish her career aspirations, as a graduate of FAMU.

Craftsman Tamisha Hawkins The Famuan Local artists showcase art inspired by and created during the Civil Rights era.

Art LeMoyne is a center for the visual arts that provides fine art exhibitions, year-round art classes,

and special art-related cultural events for the citizens of Tallahassee and surrounding area. Their mission is to promote and advance education, interest and participation in the

contemporary visual arts.

LeMoyne’s facility hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m.

For more information call 850-222-8800 or go to www.lemoyne.org.

panel also included local artists and interested citizens.

The Heritage Walk will have brass footprints, cut out of brass sheath, of the names of many civil rights activists of Tallahassee throughout the terrazzo plate design.

William Guzman, director at the Office of Black Diasporan Culture, said the Heritage Walk shows the power of

said that FAMU gave her a sense of pride in her race.

“FAMU is a wonderful breeding source for African-American leaders for the future on local and national level. FAMU gives you confidence that you can be all that you want to be, if you are willing to work for it. Since, I had family that attended

the university before me, it was nice to be able to identify with my parents and grandparents when they would bring up old memories of their days going to FAMU.” When asked, “Why FAMU?” alumni had only one word that came to mind: legacy.

“When I researched Bullard, I was pleasantly surprised,” said Jackson.

“I really want to become an educator because of the lack of teachers and professors that actually care for students.

I also want to get involved in politics too.”

He was a member of the Student Government Association and the FAMU chapter of NAACP. However, one of his fondest memories from college is being able to represent his university during the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge, a knowledge based game geared toward HBCU students.

“Winning a national championship with the Honda Campus Quiz Bowl team back in 1998 was awesome,” explained Bullard. “Representing FAMU while competing against other schools really instilled a sence of school pride

that has never left me.”

Bullard serves on the education subcommittee as a Democratic Ranking Member; this means he’s the committee’s chairperson.

“I am currently working to avoid cuts to the higher education system in Florida and working to inform my colleagues of the value of a strong education system that appreciates various majors and degrees,” said Bullard.

Simply put, an outstanding Rattler with a strong passion to help others. Bullard says he has worked hard to get where his is today, and that he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

“For all students, let patience be your ally. Life has a way of allowing you to realize your place in the world as long as you allow things to unfold in its own time,” Bullard said.

mass social movements, particularly at HBCU’s like Florida A&M. FAMU Students can build on the future by learning their past.

“The students gain a sense of historical appreciation. They feel a sense of responsibility and duty to continue that tradition in order to honor the memory of their ancestors,” Guzman said.

Monroe and Jefferson was the original location for the Heritage

Walk, Seminole Tribe of Florida decided to demolish a building next to Monroe and Jefferson to build a parking lot, directly where the Heritage Walk would go. A new location is yet to be determined by the city.

You can get a preview of the Heritage Walk this weekend at LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts Civil Rights Art Exhibition Saturday, Feb. 4 at 10:00 a.m.

Keenan Doanes The Famuan The Seminole Tribe demolished a building at Monroe and Jefferson leaving the future of the Heritage Walk a mystery.

February 3, 2012

The Famuan

Page 4

Quincy farmer cultivates food, “Gay and God,” nurtures proud family tradition have a contract

Rahsul Shaw The Famuan Farmer O’Harold Black raises chickens, rabbits and goats in Quincy, Fla.

By Rahsul Shaw

A pebble-covered trail leads into a driveway of a wood cabin that seems to have stood for generations. A tarp covers the roof damaged by past hurricanes.

Leafless trees surround the structure. At the back of the cabin, red, yellow and white chickens and roosters mill around.

O’Harold Black, a 65-year-old farmer of Quincy, Fla., greeted a visitor with a chest hug instead of a handshake. Pig’s blood covered his dark brown, wrinkled hands. He headed to the back where one of his two sons, Keith Black, 31, and cousin, George Black, 45, slaughtered pigs.

“It’s a way of life; I don’t produce product for profit. I produce products to survive,” said Black, as the two younger men continued to slice pork.

Black’s farm stands as one of the few operating African-American owned farms in the Big Bend area of Gadsden and Leon counties.

According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, there are about 1,300 black-owned farm in Florida.

Black raises goats, chickens, ducks, pigs, and rabbits and grows vegetables, including fire red tomatoes and collard greens.

“Farming is all I know,” said Black, whose wife of 41 years, Essie, is a Florida A&M parking services employee.

Black said his family has owned farmland for almost seven generations dating back to slavery.

His mother, Patricia, managed a farm.

“The family would always go to for her direction. She taught me the way,” said Black, who has owned his farm for 15 years. “I eat to live, and in order to do that I need healthy food to eat. I grow all my food naturally; I won’t eat food from anywhere that isn’t this farm.”

Black’s farm produce also feeds five other families, including the Watsons.

“It’s God’s gift,” Black said of his farm. “I have the ability to help my people and it’s something my family has done because this is God’s gift to us.”

Cynthia Watson, a part-time secretary and mother of four, is appreciative.

“He insisted, and we really needed the extra help,” Watson said.

Sharing the fruit of his land instead of trying to sell for profit reduces some of the hassle of being an African-American farmer.

“Farming is still prosperous; it’s just a lot of black farmers who are self-owned, like me, are have a hard time selling their products,” Black said. “White farmers are going corporate and doing business with factories in order to produce more, African-Americans can’t compete.”

Farming for Black is so much more than a way of life.

“We did so to survive. We would give food to the community because as black people we only had each other. To me nothing has changed,” said Black. “It is the black man’s way, preserving and protecting food, when I was growing up my family didn’t cultivate animals and vegetation for profit.”

Black, his son Keith, and his cousin, George usually work 10hour days. Starting before dawn, they milk the goats and then make their spicy sausage.

“Waking up at 4 o’clock no matter if it’s cold or hot. All the moving and the cleaning, I think that could be the most stressful part of this job,” said Keith, who has worked on the farm all of his life.

“I’ve been working since birth,” he said, as he tossed an 80-pound bag of chicken feed in the shed.

George has been helping his cousin maintain the farm for the past 10 years.

“It’s one of my passions,” said George. “A long and healthy life is what I strive for.”

George lamented the plight of the black farmer. As he prepared to fry fresh ground turkey for sandwiches, he spoke about how hard it was for black farmers to find large commercial buyers for their produce.

While George made the turkey sandwiches, Black took a visitor to a secluded barn, roped off by a wire fence. Inside the pasture roamed a lean, black, 4-foottall billy goat named Spike. The goat kicked its feet as its owner approached. Black also owns four dairy goats. He credits his healthy heart and full head of hair to all the goat milk and meat he consumes.

“It’s the source of life to me,”

Dance the night away

By Jessica Price Put on your favorite dress and dance the night away with your favorite guy at the 7 th Annual Northside Rotary Club’s Daddy Daughter Dance.

The event will take place this Saturday, and will be an opportune time to show your father or father figure your favorite dance moves.

This event will begin at 6 p.m. and last until 9:30 p.m.; and it is open to all princesses and queens of any age who would like to share a memorable night with their fathers and/or father figures.

Leila Shuffler, the president of the Tallahassee Northside Rotary Club, said many local celebrities help to sponsor the event. Among them is Mayor John Marks.

Refreshments will be available throughout the night, and attendees can take and purchase picture packages through Sears.

Picture pricing information will be available upon arrival.

Tickets are available for the Daddy Daughter Dance until Friday, at Applebee’s, Sonny’s Bar-B-Q, and The Moon in Tallahassee. Tickets are $40 per couple, and $15 for each additional daughter.

All proceeds for the dance will go to local and national charities sponsored by the Northside Rotary Club. For an example, the Ukraine Children’s Project to help support a child’s orphanage in the Ukraine, and the Rotary youth camp for disabled children.

For more information about the event, contact Leila Shuffler at (850) 562-4260, and Sondra Brown, the chairman of the dance, at (850) 514-6243.

Special to The Famuan “The Contract,” addresses issuses on homosexuality in the black church.

February 3, 2012

The Famuan

Page 5

‘Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor’- MLK

By Jorge Rodriguez-Jimenez The story of black history is one of constant struggles and triumphs against discrimination. The brave men and women that tirelessly worked to eradicate prejudice in this country are some of America’s greatest heroes.

As a fellow American, I view black history as my history. Without the efforts and advances made by the black community, the U.S. would not be anything like it is now.

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s is pivotal when studying how other minorities have also risen out of oppression and discrimination.

Growing up, I remember learning about the actions taken

by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr and the oppression and hatred he faced. I swelled with American pride when I learned of his march in elementary school and memorized his “I Have a Dream Speech” for my American history class in high school.

As I watched videos of the speech and read the words over and over, the message began to take a different form. He was talking to me; he was giving me hope that things will get bet-

Editor-in-Chief: thefamuaneic@gmail.com Jorge Rodriguez-Jimenez Managing & Multimedia Editor: famuanlive@gmail.com D.A. Robin Copy Desk Chief: thefamuancopydesk@gmail.com Khristanda Cooper News Editor: famuannews@gmail.com famuan.metro@gmail.com Karl Etters Deputy News Editor: famuannews@gmail.com famuan.metro@gmail.com Marie Eustache Opinions Editor: famuanopinions@gmail.com Angie Meus Deputy Opinions Editor: famuanopinions@gmail.com Breanna Rittman Lifestyles Editor: famuanlifestyles@gmail.com Krisin Broner Sports Editor: famuansports@gmail.com Brandon Lee Deputy Sports Editor: famuansports@gmail.com Frank Peterman Photo Editor: famuanphotography@gmail.com Keenan Doanes Deputy Photo Editor: famuanphotography@gmail.com Jasmine Mitchell Visuals Editor: jeffrey1.morris@yahoo.com Jeffrey Morris Deputy Visuals Editor: Ashley McCray PR Coordinator: famuancalendar@gmail.com Chakiara Tucker Program Coordinator: Valerie McEachin Adviser: andrew.skerritt@famu.edu Andrew Skerritt Fax 850.561.2570 Editor in Chief 850.561.2569 Secretary 850.599.3159 Newsroom 850.599.3011/ 561.2569 The Famuan, an Associated Collegiate Press Association non-daily finalist, is published on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters. The opinions do not reflect the administration, faculty or staff of the University. The editorials are the expressed opinions of the staff and columnists. The Famuan is funded partially by activities and services fees.

ter, everything will get better.

Now, as an adult with some extra research done on Rev. King Jr, I find him to be a continuing source of inspiration. Interviews with Coretta Scott King have shed light on the kind of man he was. He did not only want for blacks to be free of discrimination. He wanted all minorities included.

In fact, the Civil Rights Movement was meant to be an all-inclusive movement. Black, Hispanic, gay, or transgender, Mrs. King has been quoted saying Rev. King Jr wanted everyone to be discrimination free.

To me, black history is celebrated everyday. You cannot look around without seeing the fruits of labor planted by Civil Rights activists. Yet the work is not over. Discrimination is nothing new and, sadly, will continue to plague the world.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” wrote Mr. King Jr in “Letter from Bir-

mingham Jail.” It may be a little overused, but I feel like this quote has as much relevance as when it was first written in the cramp Alabama jail cell.

I’ll admit, I am not as abreast in Hispanic history as I should be and it has been a personal resolution of mine to start becoming better acquainted with my own heritage as a Cuban-American.

With Rev. King Jr’s words, I have made it my personal mission to never express intolerance. Everybody is important and deserves the same rights as the next person. There is no room for discrimination in today’s society and the best way to end it is to make that first step and end it in your own mind and body.

Love, Peace, and Soul

By Breanna Rittman I may be young but I’m not too young to remember Don Cornelius and his legacy with Soul Train. The creator and longtime host of Soul Train died early Wednesday morning in Los Angeles.

Before BET and MTV there was

Continue the legacy

Far from Purposeless

By Angie Meus

By Angie Meus People say leave the past behind, but when it comes to Black History Month, I don’t think that’s possible. Who we are rests in who our ancestors were, and the opportunities afforded to us exist primarily because of our roots—our history.

It’s like the saying goes, you can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve come from.

We wouldn’t know the magnitude of our greatness if the people who came before us didn’t leave behind their legacies for us to see that barriers only stop us if we allow them to. Our ancestors were some of the strongest, most courageous people to ever grace this earth.

They were shackled, chained and thrown on ships.

They were beaten, raped, and told that they would never be more than someone else’s property, yet they kept dreaming for me, for us. It takes a true visionary and dreamer to see obstacles as opportunities to make a difference that will impact generations. That’s exactly what they did.

Soul Train, the American Bandstand for blacks. Cornelius had a dream of generating a show for the black audience. With this dream Soul Train aired its first episode in 1971. Cornelius retired as host in 1993 and the show ceased production in 2006. It was the longest first-run syndicated television series in broadcast history.

Soul Train opened the door for many soulful singers, such as James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, and Gladys Knight and the Pips.

For the hip-hop industry artists such as Kool Moe Dee, LL Cool J, and Big Daddy Kane have made appearances. If I mentioned an artist that you don’t know, just go ask your parents, they’ll know who I’m talking about. They’ll even throw more names at you like Al B. Sure, Betty Wright, New Edition, Teddy Riley, Con Funk

Shun, and Stacy Lattisaw. There are just too many great artists to name; the list could go on and on.

Some artists have even made multiple appearances on the show. The best of the best performed on Soul Train.

As my mother reflected on the life of Cornelius she said, “He kept our soul revived with the music he brought each week.” Soul Train took my mom from her childhood years to marriage and into motherhood. In her youth, Soul Train was not only used to get the latest dance moves, it also helped people decide on what to wear to the club and parties on the weekend.

When I was younger I loved watching reruns with Cheryl Song dancing. For those of you who think you don’t know her, she’s the Asian lady with the long hair.

One of my favorite episodes, well rerun, is the one with Kool Moe Dee performing his infamous song, “How Ya Like Me Now.” The music industry has lost another icon. Even though he wasn’t a singer he had a great impact on the black music industry, making a path for Centric and BET. Thank you Don Cornelius for shaping the music industry for African-Americans and taking us on the “hippest trip in America.”

May you rest in Peace, Love, and Soul.

Every protest, boycott and fight was because they saw something in the distance that signified hope. They created history and changed our lives.

Their willingness to fight for us so that we would have a better future is something we should all be grateful for.

They didn’t have to do it, but they did because they understood that we were not placed on this earth by accident. It was no coincidence.

To my fellow Rattlers and anyone who is reading this, remember that this month is not just about reflection.

It offers an opportunity for us as young African Americans to evaluate whether or not we are living up to not only our expectations, but also the expectations of our ancestors. As we celebrate them, let’s become the leaders we were meant to be.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks to themselves what did He see in me? Or what mission was I placed on this earth to complete?

And even if I was, I’d have no shame in admitting that I question what it is about my destiny that makes Him continue to love me the way He does.

I know the word says He creates everything with a purpose known long before we’re even placed in the womb, so what’s mine?

Will I leave as great of a mark as those who came before me? and if I do, what will it be?

Will I be as strong of a woman as my mother?

Will I meet the man whose rib I am made of? Or have I met him already?

And if I have, are we “soul-tied” like the old folks would say?

Will I discover over time why you caused this connection between me and words? Or why when I fail to see my beauty you confirm that I am flawlessly created by You? I know I’m not supposed to question You, but the magnitude of Your unconditional love makes it hard not to.

And I hope my curiosity doesn’t come off as being doubtful because that’s not it. I’m just astonished by Your continuous perfection.

The way You bless me without hesitation just does something to my soul that I can’t help but thank You for love, for words, for grace, and for me because even though I’m not yet who I was designed to be, I know that I am far from purposeless.

February 3, 2012

The Famuan

Page 6

A trailblazer for equality on the gridiron

Special to The Famuan Raymond Bellamy, now an academic adviser for Florida A&M, took a major leap in the late ‘60s, becoming the University of Miami’s first African-American football player. Above, Bellamy carries three Auburn University defenders after a reception.

By Brandon Lee Raymond Bellamy is simply a Florida A&M academic adviser to many people. But to those whose drive and soul has ever been tested by discrimination, he is much more – he is a pioneer.

As the first AfricanAmerican to sign a football scholarship with the University of Miami, as well as the first black athlete to touch base in the Southeast during the late ’60s, Bellamy is no stranger to bigotry.

During his college career, Bellamy tolerated daily death threats in his mailbox and those that manifested in his presence. He dealt with racial slurs smeared on his dorm door by his teammates and persecution by narrowminded authorities, all because of his chocolate complexion.

And those are only a few experiences he doesn’t mind sharing.

But that never discouraged the UM Football Hall-Of-Fame 2012 inductee, as he stood by the principles taught by his parents through it all.

“I worked right through it. I stayed with what my momma and daddy taught me: tend to your business, go to class, and do whatever you were supposed to do,” Bellamy said.

The 62-year-old recognizes the role his humble beginnings played in his struggle to overcome Jim Crow’s obstacles.

Born into a family of migrant workers in Manatee County, Fla., Bellamy unhappily worked in a produce field from sun-up to sun-down.

Endurng his chores ultimately sparked the epiphany that would alter the rest of Bellamy’s life.

“Anything was better than picking tomatoes,” Bellamy remembers.

“One day, I was outside in the field and I took a tomato basket and turned it upside down.

Then I stepped on top of it, and I yelled across the field to all the people that was out there picking tomatoes. And my yell was, ‘I will not pick tomatoes all my life.’ I yelled it to my left, and I

yelled it to my right.

“That was the very beginning of what I embarked to do with the rest of my life.”

That afternoon was the last time Bellamy stepped foot on that field.

With a new outlook, he set his plan into motion.

Initially, football was nowhere in sight.

Bellamy aspired to play percussion in Lincoln Memorial High School’s band but reevaluated his decision following a lack of support.

His parents had enough insight to understand the importance of an education despite being illiterate. Bellamy was expected to excel in school and didn’t have to work in the field so long as he was active in extracurricular activities.

In eighth grade, he took part in anything he could and was elected studentbody and honor society president with the help of his teachers, who were all FAMU graduates.

He then tried out for his school’s football team because of his respect for Eddie Shannon, Lincoln Memorial’s head coach.

Bellamy made the team, despite skeptics, but was quickly disappointed when the team took its first road trip without him.

That experience sparked the unwavering resolve that has smoldered within Bellamy his entire life.

“I told them they would never leave me home alone again. And I said, when they got back, I was going to kill somebody,” Bellamy joked.

Bellamy did exactly that, steamrolling every player that challenged him during punt-return drills the next practice, including running back

Photos by James Clary

Eugene Hart, who he describes as the best athlete he’s ever seen.

This feat landed Bellamy a starting role as a defensive end, a position he quickly excelled at but was also unsatisfied with.

“I made a name for myself defensively, but I always wanted to play offense,” Bellamy said.

That dream became a reality junior year when he left his coaches awestruck after catching every ball thrown to him during a blustery practice. He was a wide receiver that day forward, laying the foundation for his college career.

For a while, passes were never thrown his way. But that changed during a night Bellamy describes as one that “made all the difference” in his life as a receiver.

That night, Bellamy received his first pass emphatically with a onehanded grab in the end zone to seal his team’s victory.

“Everything went uphill after that,” Bellamy said.

Thereafter, an array of college football scholarships were there for Bellamy’s taking – including one from thenUM President Henry King Stanford.

After testing the waters at other schools across the country, Bellamy decided to take his talents to Miami because of its proximity to his family.

Before he knew it, he was officially the first African-American Hurricane.

But in no time, Bellamy experienced his first dose of intolerance.

During one of his first nights in Coral Gables in 1967, he was stopped by a police officer while walking on campus. Suspicious of the freshman, the officer inquired why he was there. The officer then demanded Bellamy show student I.D., something he had yet to receive.

“He was giving me a hard time, so I had to figure out a way to turn this thing into something positive,” Bellamy said.

“So I said, ‘excuse me, do you know where the field house is?’ He said he did, so I asked him if he would give me a ride because I was lost. He gave me a ride, in the squad car, to the field house. And I’m sure he figured out the rest after that.”

This was only the beginning, as the 6-foot5, 185-pound receiver recalls being arrested while a co-ed gave him a tour of the city in her Mustang convertible.

“To this day, I’m still trying to figure out what they arrested me for,” Bellamy said.

The situation was not entirely negative, as it proved Bellamy had at least one friend in south Florida. Stanford, who would become Bellamy’s enduring pal, arrived at the jail by limousine to rescue him. Upon learning the arrest wasn’t justified, Stanford became furious.

“This s--- has got to stop,” Bellamy recalled Stanford screaming to the officers. “That was the first time I’ve ever heard him curse.”

Stanford was one of Bellamy’s few highlights early on. He became accustomed to fighting teammates, handling physical abuse on the field, evading murder

attempts and using personal security.

“But it’s funny, I was never afraid,” Bellamy said. “Don’t ask me why, because I don’t know.

I guess it was the Lord that just took that away.”

As the region’s lone black athlete, Bellamy’s road to success was anything but simple.

Nonetheless, he shined just the same, mounting into a premier receiver.

But it would topple before his senior year.

One night, Bellamy fell asleep behind the wheel and was involved in a car accident, breaking both his right knee and his left arm. That would have spelled the end to a promising football career for some, but Bellamy was an exception.

“Anyone else, they would have quit football,” said Henry Radford, former UM running back and Bellamy’s long-time friend. “They would have quit life. Ray rehabilitated himself, and came back still a good player. His will was so strong that he would not give up.”

“Ray easily overcame any obstacle in his path,” said former college roommate Jim Rydell.

As time progressed, the university grew and barred minds opened.

Endorsed by his team and the black community, he would become studentbody president and earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education.

During a period of complacency, Bellamy became a catalyst for change in college athletics across the region. But he says he never glorifies himself because his accomplishments are beyond that.

“The best thing about Ray is his character,” Radford said. “The best thing about Ray is the people that he helped. By him being the first AfroAmerican football player at UM, he had to take everything. To be the only one…I can’t even imagine.”

Bellamy said he doesn’t regret a thing.

“It’s never been about Ray Bellamy; it’s always been about the Lord and others,” Bellamy said.

“I stand up for the right thing when nobody’s watching. I did it, and I’m glad I did it.”