Four University of Kentucky football players helped break the color barrier in the Southeastern Conference, but the pioneers know the work can’t be done yet. A statue of Nate Northington, Wilbur Hackett Jr., Houston Hogg and Greg Page stands tall near Kroger Field, and now Northington and Hackett are continuing to use their voices to shine a light on the racial injustices in America, as seen in a new report by Mark Story for the Herald Leader.
The column, titled “UK football’s racial pioneers heartbroken by enduring racism” retells the inspiring story of how these four African American men helped change the conference and the sport for the better, and how Northington and Hackett want to see the power of sports continue to make a difference.