How Black Journalists Helped Break the NFL’s Racial Barrier and Change Pro Football Forever

A year before Jackie Robinson shattered baseball’s color barrier in 1947, four Black athletes broke down a similar wall in professional football.

That accolade goes to Marion Motley, Woody Strode, Kenny Washington, and Bill Willis—known as the “Forgotten Four”—who reintegrated pro football in 1946 after a racist ban had kept Black players out of the league since the early 1930s. In 2022, they were posthumously honored with the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Ralph Hay Pioneer Award, a long-overdue recognition of their contributions to the game.

But while these men endured the struggle on the field, the battle for their right to play was mainly fought off the field by a journalist—one courageous enough to challenge the system and force change.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: journalists have a responsibility to deliver the truth accurately and fairly. More than that, we have a duty to use our voices to fight for justice, challenge systemic barriers, and push society forward. That is exactly what happened in 1946 when a Black journalist took a stand and helped reshape the future of professional football.

During their college prime, Washington and Strode were legends in Los Angeles. As teammates at UCLA, they had electrified the football field alongside another future icon, Jackie Robinson. 

Washington, a dominant force in college football, shattered records, played nearly every minute of every game, and became UCLA’s first consensus All-American. Despite their talent, neither Washington nor Strode was drafted into the NFL—because, by 1933, the league had quietly imposed a racial ban, barring Black players from competing.

That didn’t stop their determination to play the game they loved. Both Washington and Strode had very successful Simi-pro careers in the Pacific Coast Professional Football League. 

Washington’s standout performance on the field made him a fan favorite. He earned one of the highest salaries in the game, proving he was still one of the best players in the country. 

Despite Washington’s undeniable talent, the doors to the NFL remained shut. That was until 1946 when the Rams decided to begin their Pros-in different area codes tour. 

The Rams are one of the NFL’s oldest franchises, founded in 1937 in Cleveland. After failing to have a winning record during their first three seasons, owner Dan Reeves decided to move out west to Los Angeles.

During negotiations, the Rams proposed playing in the publicly funded Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which was in a predominantly Black neighborhood and funded by Black tax payers. 

The audacity of having a sector of the public pay for a team to play in a coliseum didn’t sit well with the community, specifically a group of Black L.A. sportswriters led by Halley Harding.

Yes, Harding wrote articles detailing the hypocrisy of the situation, but he didn’t stop there. Harding stood before the L.A. Coliseum Commission and argued that allowing a segregated team to play in a publicly funded stadium was an affront to the Black taxpayers who helped support it. He exposed the NFL’s unspoken racial ban, highlighted the hypocrisy of sending Black soldiers to fight in World War II but refusing them a place on a football field, and made it clear that Washington and Strode deserved a chance.

The argument was undeniable and ultimately issued an ultimatum— integrate or lose access to the Coliseum. Days later, Washington signed an NFL contract, becoming the first Black player in the modern era. Strode soon followed. Their inclusion forced the league to abandon its racial ban, reshaping the future of professional football.

This victory wasn’t just about two athletes getting a shot—it was about systemic change. And it wouldn’t have happened without Black journalists who seized an opportunity.

The impact of Black journalists extends far beyond sports. Historically, Black journalists have been at the forefront of civil rights movements, exposing racial violence, advocating for policy changes, and amplifying voices ignored by mainstream media. Ida B. Wells risked her life to document lynchings. The Chicago Defender helped spark the Great Migration by showing Black families a future beyond the South. The Black Panther newspaper empowered communities with knowledge. These journalists weren’t just reporting the news—they were shaping history.

Today, Black journalists continue to face challenges, including systemic barriers to leadership positions, underrepresentation in newsrooms, and the ongoing struggle against misinformation and bias. But their role remains as critical as ever. From covering protests and police brutality to highlighting Black excellence and culture, they bring depth, context, and lived experience that mainstream outlets often overlook.

The story of Kenny Washington and Woody Strode reminds us that the fight for equity requires bold voices willing to challenge the status quo. It underscores the power of Black journalists—not just in chronicling history, but in making it.