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The University of Texas honored Julius Whittier, who became the Longhorn’s first black letterman in 1970, with a 12 1/2 foot statue outside the north end of the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium Friday.
The unveiling on Friday, which also marks the 50th. The anniversary of the 1970 Texas National Championship, which Whittier played for, was the culmination of efforts by Texas students, athletes, and alumni to seek greater recognition for Whittier.
As social justice movements swept the country after George Floyd’s death that summer, Texas fell into the spotlight after a group of athletes posted a two-page letter on Twitter asking for significant changes on the UT campus and were looking for in athletics. One of the requested measures was the renaming of a stadium area after Whittier. Texas says it started working on the statue this summer.
« Honestly, the statue means a lot because he was the first to do this and the first to be a letterman on our football program, » said Texas DB Caden Stern’s blessing, not just to him but to us as well and other African Americans entering college. During that time, it wasn’t the best time in history. So it is a big step in the right direction and a great achievement to be the first to see him honored. Every time I see this statue I will think about everything he did and what he means to all of us. ”
Whittier received three university letters in Texas from 1970 to 1972 as an offensive lineman and close finish under coach Darrel Royal.
Whittier later earned a law degree in Texas and spent much of his career as a senior attorney with the Dallas County law firm before retiring in 2012. He passed away in 2018.
Texas Longhorns, American Football, University of Texas at Austin, College Football, Austin
World News – USA – Longhorns unveil statue of Texas’ first black postman, Julius Whittier
Ref: https://www.dallasnews.com
