Score Free Screening of Documentary and Chance to meet Football Stars Who Were Part of Historical Game

New York, NY (January, 2012) – Just five months after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Grambling and Morgan State faced off in Yankee Stadium – the first ever football game played between two historically Black colleges in New York City. The significance of the game is profiled in the uplifting CBS Sports documentary “1st & Goal in the Bronx: Grambling vs. Morgan State, 1968.” The context of the civil rights struggle going on in America at that time is revealed through interviews with players, coaches and others involved in that historical event.

On Wednesday, February 15 at 6:30pm, The New York Urban League (NYUL) will host a free screening of the film at the Schomburg Center in Harlem. Confirmed guests include NFL greats Raymond Chester, and James “Shack” Harris. Chester (Morgan State and Oakland Raiders), Harris (Grambling and Bills, Rams, Chargers) were surrounded by an impressive array of talent that day, with an unprecedented 31 players from that game drafted in the 1968 NFL draft.  These prolific figures will recount that life-changing day during a Q&A session after the screening. The talk back will be moderated by SNY sportscaster Brian Custer.

“This groundbreaking game was a true milestone in the civil rights movement. This single event paved the way for African Americans both on and off the field--creating a legacy that has allowed the NYUL to provide more than $20 million for scholarships to date through our annual HBCU Football Classic,” stated Arva Rice, President and CEO of the NYUL.

The documentary, produced by CBS Sports Network, will be shown at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at 6:30pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012.

The event is free and open to the public thanks to the generosity of event sponsors AARP, CBS Sports, and The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. 

For more information about this free event, please call the New York Urban League at 212-926-8000. Space is limited and available on a first-come-first-served basis. Attendees must RSVP at RSVP@nyul.org.

Media Contact:Mason Burnham

The Wakeman Agency

E: mburnham@thewakemanagency.com

T: 212-500-5953 x112