When people think of the Cleveland Browns, they think about Otto Graham, Paul Brown, Joe Thomas, and Jim Brown. Jim Brown is seen by many as the most excellent running back in NFL history, and understandably so. Brown was a nine-time pro bowler and all-pro, a three-time MVP, an NFL champion who led the NFL in rushing yards eight times and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns five times. Brown’s excellence off the field was synonymous with his excellence on the field, as he was an actor and human rights activist. One of the most iconic photos in NFL history is NBA legends Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabar sitting with Brown and Muhammad Ali as they supported Ali’s protest of his getting drafted by the US Army for the Vietnam War.
This event was known as the Cleveland Summit, which was significant because it was a significant turning point for the athlete’s role in society, one of the most important civil rights acts in sports history, and a predecessor of the 21st-century protest movement initiated by Colin Kaepernick. Brown had many off-the-field legal problems, but fortunately, they aren’t as well known as what he accomplished on and off the field, especially for Black Americans to attain equality in the US. Rest in Peace, Mr. Brown, and thank you for everything.
