3 minute read
From the Hub
By President Greg Crawford
In the spring of his junior year at Miami, Wayne himself, he’d reflect on the pictures of legendary Embry ’58 got a call from his father. He needed Miami coaches lining the walls at Withrow — Paul to come home to Springfield, Ohio. As the oldest Brown, Ara Parseghian, Weeb Ewbank, and so on. grandson, he was close to his grandfather, and his Now Wayne Embry is the legendary Miamian grandfather was dying. inspiring others. In recognition of his contributions, Wayne writes in his autobiography, The Inside we have installed a statue in front of Millett Hall of Game, about how startled he was to see his grandfa- him performing his signature hook shot — our first ther so thin and in such pain. He recalled the many statue honoring a Black alumnus. conversations they’d shared while going fishing and Off the court, Wayne says, the best thing that hapdoing chores together on the family farm. pened to him at Miami was meeting his wife, Terri “My grandpa had warned me there would always Jackson. He believes Terri was the true activist in be some people who did not like me because of the their family, never more so than during Dr. King’s color of my skin. He would also tell us not to let march from Selma to Montgomery. anyone else’s words or actions keep us from success. Wayne and Oscar Robertson, his Royals team‘Don’t let other people’s problems be yours,’ he mate and roommate when playing on the road, were would say. ‘Your strength will be in your character. If in their hotel room in Philadelphia on March 20, you work hard and respect people, you will 1964, when the phone Wayne Embry ’58 has effect change in the way people treat you.’ ” Anyone who knows Wayne knows he rang. Terri was on the other end, telling him that continued to break heard those words as a challenge, and, as she and her good friend down barriers during with every challenge ever put before him, Wayne persevered until he succeeded. His Yvonne, Oscar’s wife, were joining the march to prohis more than 60 years example and legacy have opened doors for test that Blacks were being in the NBA. generations of Black students and studentathletes, at Miami and across the country. denied the right to vote across the South. Wayne was the only Black student in his “They had to lie flat high school. He told his parents about the taunting under blankets in the back and declared after the first week he wasn’t going of a truck in order to get to back. They would have none of that. By his junior the airport safely,” Wayne year, he was voted most popular. recounts. “Both said the During his college career, when he played center experience changed their for the men’s basketball team, he again broke lives because they had down racial barriers as one of Miami’s first Black never been exposed to that student-athletes. kind of violence or hatred.” He has continued to break down barriers during During the statue’s unveiling, Miami honored Terri his more than 60 years in the NBA, first as a five-time and Wayne with its Freedom Summer of ’64 Award All-Star center with the Cincinnati Royals and then for their life’s work as civil rights champions. Sadly, You are invited to write to as a world champion player with the Boston Celtics. Terri passed away in August. She is greatly missed. President Greg Crawford When he was named general manager of the We at Miami are extremely grateful to Wayne and at president@MiamiOH.edu Follow him on Twitter . Milwaukee Bucks, he became the first Black GM in Terri and their pioneering achievements that have @MiamiOHPres. pro sports. He has said that whenever he doubted inspired such diversity and inclusiveness.
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