Former Michigan State WR Gene Washington sat down for a discussion with Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press this week. Gene Washington played WR for the Spartans between 1964 & 1967.
During the discussion, Washington spoke of his own experiences with racism in America, specifically discussing racial segregation. He even talks about the horrific death of George Floyd.
You can read the entire article here.
Here is a quote from George Washington on racism and segregation in the 1960s, per The Detroit Free Press:
“We were always at the mercy of the police people,” he said. “I mean, we had all those segregated laws that we thought were unfair you know in terms of sitting in the back of busses and trains, whites and blacks couldn’t go to school together. … That’s all I experienced when I was growing up down there in segregation. They were quick to write tickets and quick to put you in jail if you didn’t sit in the right place on the bus. And all the restaurants were closed to us as well.”
Gene Washington was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 1967 NFL Draft and played in the 1969 Super Bowl. Washington also played for the Denver Broncos during the 1973-74 season as well.
