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Interviews with news makers and discussion of topics important to Southwest Michigan. Subscribe to the podcast through Apple itunes and Google. Segments of interview are heard in WestSouthwest Brief during Morning Edition and All Things Considered

WestSouthwest November 22, 2018

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WMUK

As families gather for Thanksgiving to enjoy turkey, mashed potatoes, and maybe football, we present a rebroadcast of our segment on a movie about the integration of college football in the 1960’s. 

The film Through the Banks of the Red Cedar tells the story of African-American players who came from the South to play at Michigan State University. During the 1960’s those players could not play at larger schools closer to home.

Maya Washington Produced and Directed the documentary. The filmmaker was inspired to tell the story of her father, Gene Washington, and other players on the great Spartan teams of that era. Gene Washington came from Texas to East Lansing because of defensive tackle Bubba Smith. Washington and Smith played at rival high schools. MSU coach Duffy Daugherty was recruiting Smith to come play for the Spartans. Smith and his father, who coached the high school team, encouraged Daugherty to recruit Washington.

Washington and Smith along with teammates George Webster and Clint Jones were all taken in the first eight picks of the 1967 NFL draft. All four are now members of the College Football Hall of Fame.

WMUK’s Gordon Evans interviewed Through the Banks of the Red Cedar Producer and Director Maya Washington as well as her father former NFL player Gene Washington. The segment originally aired in September shortly before the movie was screened in Grand Rapids.

Gordon Evans became WMUK's Content Director in 2019 after more than 20 years as an anchor, host and reporter. A 1990 graduate of Michigan State, he began work at WMUK in 1996.
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