BobbyGrierwas the first African-American to play in the Sugar Bowl. As a member of the Pittsburgh Panthers,Grierplayed against Georgia Tech on January 2, 1956 — only months after Emmett Till was lynched in Mississippi and weeks after Rosa Parks was arrested in Alabama.
Perhaps as expected, his participation was met with opposition: the governor of Georgia insisted that Georgia Tech boycott the Sugar Bowl that year. But the game was played,Grierwas its leading rusher, and the Civil Rights Movement continued to gain momentum.
Click here for Bobby Grier's behind the scenes memories of the 1956 Sugar Bowl.
ThePittsburgh Panthersended up losing the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets by a score of 7-0. At one point Grier was called for pass interference, which swayed the momentum in Georgia Tech’s favor; although Grier's race was speculated to influence the call, the referee later went on record to say it was a bad call. Ironically, he was a Pittsburgh native.
Grier was praised for his participation in the bowl and received letters of support from around the world, including one from local radio station WBOK.Click here to hear a letter written by local radio announcer Champ Clark on December 11, 1955.
This interview was originally conducted by Mark Cave forthe Historic New Orleans Collection.
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