Celebrate Black History Month: Ed Smith
February 12, 2009 | General News
In honor of Black History month, the University of Wisconsin athletic department will celebrate the stories of 28 former African-American student-athletes or coaches, one for each day in the month of February (see table updated daily).
The UW athletic program launched its ' Celebrate UW's Black History ' section on UWBadgers.com in 2003. It has been updated every year with new information and multimedia offerings and is one of the finest college resources for African-American athletics history in the nation.
Today we celebrate the track and field's Ed Smith.
Although Ed Smith was one of Wisconsin's top hurdlers in the 1930s, his career as a Badger was arguably most notable for the strong stand against segregation that the University made on his behalf in 1939.
Smith, a native of Springfield, Illinois, joined the track team in 1936 as a freshman, but quickly moved up to compete on the varsity team for the next three years. In 1939, Smith was the second-leading scorer for the Badgers, routinely winning points in the 120-yard and 220-yard hurdles. In fact, he did not place below third place in any meet throughout the season.
It was this season that both Smith and the UW faced adversity, and took a bold stand. The team had been invited to a triangular track meet hosted by the University of Missouri in April. Just prior to the event, however, Mizzou officials notified UW coach Tom Jones that teams would not be allowed to enter any African-American competitors. Jones asked Missouri to reconsider this restriction, and when the school refused, Wisconsin withdrew from the meet. By refusing to abide by Missouri's Jim Crow stance, the UW became one of the first northern schools since the World War One-era to stand up to segregation.
Following that season, Smith went on to win the Big Ten title in the 120-yard hurdles and capture second place at the NCAA Championships, helping UW to a fifth-place finish in 1940. Since then, Smith's activities are unknown, and his subsequent career remains a mystery.
RELATED MATERIAL
More details on Ed Smith
1939 track meet cancelled at Missouri news article
UW Faculty Resolution Opposing Jim Crow Track Meet, 1939
