| TC. Williams 1971 |
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In 1959 Brown vs. The Board of Education ruled that the racial segregation of students in all public schools was not allowed. In Alexandria City Public Schools in Virginia there were 2 schools combined to form TC Williams High School. If you have ever seen the movie "Remember the Titans" you know this story.
The group of boys wanting to play football at TC Williams black and white had to go to camp in Pennsylvania for a few weeks. The boys had to room with someone of a different race, the boys didn't get along at first, but over time coaches Bill Yoast and Herman Boone got the boys to get along as well as doing so themselves. After camp the boys had finally started to get to know each other and they acted as a team, not caring what their races were. By the first day of school everyone else was against bussing and desegregation.
Gerry Bertier was captain of the TC Williams Titans and Julius Campbell was his roommate at camp. The 2 boys started to get along better and eventually became good friends.
TC Williams had won every game in the 1971 football season when Gerry and Julius played and on the night of their final win Gerry had left the football game after party and was hit by a drunk driver.
He was paralyzed from the waist down in that accident. The titans ended up winning their final game though and won the state tital!
10 years later Gerry died in yet abother accident with what i believe to be yet another drunk driver. The titans were together again 10 years after breaking the racial barrier in Virginia forever!
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF!
These boys learned the meaning of that from Bill Yoast and Herman Boone for playing with the titans in 1971.
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