Prentice Gautt is a name that holds a special place in the history of the state of Oklahoma. Along with his accomplishments on the field during Bud Wilkinson’s mid-20th century domination of the sport, the pioneering running back’s impact on the university and college football culture holds much more meaning than the 1,301 yards on 235 carries, six touchdowns and an Orange Bowl MVP he racked up through his career in Norman. In 1956, Prentice Gautt became the first African American to play football at the University of Oklahoma.
Andrew McGregor of Sport in American History, who has extensively researched Bud Wilkinson and the Oklahoma program in relation to integration, chronicles in detail the struggle that led up to the day Gautt was finally able to don the crimson and cream, and fellow students who looked like him were allowed to watch him play in the stands.