![]() ![]() That led him on lecture tours around the world and to write books and magazine articles, including a 37-page feature on the Underground Railroad for National Geographic. But that was just a part of a much larger calling: Illuminating the history of blacks would become his way to fight discrimination. He said he knew his life's mission as a boy.Īfter Penn State, he taught history and served as human relations adviser for the Norristown Area School District. And how he and his black friends learned to swim in the Schuylkill River because they were not allowed to take lessons at pools. Those words stung even then, and would forever shape him, as did those stories of his great grandfather escaping slavery along the Underground Railroad, from Delaware to Canada. The answer: "No, Charles, Negroes were born to serve white people." He asked if black people possessed their own history. Many people believe this magical season put the Nittany Lions back on the map after the crippling sanctions previously imposed by the NCAA. Blockson tells of how he raised his hand while his white teacher was leading a lesson on American history. The Story of the 2016 Penn State Nittany Lions Over the next several weeks I will be chronicling the 2016 Penn State football season. His quest was born in the fourth grade in Norristown. Unfortunately, I guess I'm sort of a dying breed. Record: 11-3 (8th of 128) ( Schedule & Results ) Rank: 7th in the Final AP poll. You can always read them when you're lonely, when you're curious. Last winter, Penn State-based WPSU-TV released a 16-minute documentary of his life and his collecting. In it, he said this: "I love the smell of old books. He also has donated a smaller, similar collection to Penn State. Penn State football's grand pedigree was born in 1954 Five former Penn State football players will have their chance at impressing NFL scouts, owners, coaches and related team personnel at the end of February. It's one of the nation's leading research facilities detailing the history and culture of people of African descent. Blockson Afro-American collection at Temple University includes more than 500,000 pieces, such as books, prints, newspapers, illustrations and written music. Even more, he would seek out any place with books related to African-American history, buying whatever he could afford.Īlways, it seemed, he was determined to preserve and promote the history of black Americans. His perseverance shines through on that 1954 team, arguably the most intriguing combination of achievers the football program has ever known.Įven now, at 82, he is still pursuing his career as an author, lecturer and historian. But beyond that, he was quiet and reserved, a thinker and a voracious reader. ![]() He was a road-grading fullback on the field, opening running lanes for best friend Lenny Moore. ![]()
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