Syracuse, N.Y. — For a long and sad time in our nation's history, black students were denied admissions to universities and colleges.
In basketball, it sometimes took decades before black athletes were allowed to play. Then there were unwritten rules regarding the number of black players that could be on a team's roster or in a team's starting lineup.
In 1936, Wilmeth Sidat-Singh (at left in photo) became the first black athlete at Syracuse University. He played both basketball and football at the school.
On the football field, Sidat-Singh played halfback in the single-wing offense, essentially a position that would now be considered quarterback.