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RESEARCH
Rallying Point
THNOC’s 2013-14 Williams Scholar in Residence tackles the history of integration in New Orleans as played on the football field.
Fifty years ago, in early January 1965, New Orleans was eagerly preparing for what many expected to be the city’s final audition to become the next expansion site for a professional football team. After several years of successfully hosting summer exhibition games for both the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL), local organizers had lured the 1965 AFL All-Star Game into Tulane Stadium. With pro expansion clearly on the horizon, “Fill the Stadium” campaigns across the city reflected the popular belief that a capacity crowd would hasten an invitation from one of two—if not both—leagues. When the All-Star game kicked off, however, Tulane Stadium was completely empty. The event had been moved to Houston. Five days earlier, the players had walked out, boycotting New Orleans because of the segregation practices faced by the black members of the squads. Instead of entering the big leagues, the city became blacklisted.
A.	AFL All-Star Game advertisement
1965; newspaper clipping
gift of David and Mary Dixon family, 2009.0157.48
B.	“Some of the Pros Who Will Play in the AFL All-Star Came Here”
1965; newspaper clipping
gift of David and Mary Dixon family, 2009.0157.50
C.	“AFL Players Prepare to Leave Town”
1965; newspaper clipping
gift of David and Mary Dixon family, 2009.0157.51
k+*****************
A GREAT GAME FOR A GREAT CAUSE
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW FOR THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
ALL-STAR GAME
TULANE STADIUM
JANUARY 16“ 1P.M.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
PICAYUNE, NEW ORLEANS. LA., MONDAY MORNING, JANUARY 11, 1965
of the Pros Who Will Play in AFL All-Star I
Two-Stroke Lead in Lo!
AFL Players Prepare to Leave Town
GATHER AT AIRPORT—American Football League All-Stars Elbert Dubenion. left; Ernie Warlick, second from left, and George Byrd, right, are shown Sunday night as they prepare to leave Moisant International Air-
—Photo bv The Tlmw-Plcavune.
port after the 21 Negroes on the AFL squads announced they would not play in the game here Saturday. The man second from right was unidentified. (News story on Page 1.)
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