PRESS NOTES
FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL
INTRODUCTION
Brown v. Board of Education. Rosa Parks’ refusal to sit in the back of the bus. Martin Luther
King’s I have a dream speech. In 1946, before these and other seminal chapters in the history of
the civil rights movement took place, four African Americans broke the color barrier in
professional football. The EPIX Original Documentary, Forgotten Four: The Integration of Pro
Football, shines a much-needed spotlight on Marion Motley, Woody Strode, Kenny
Washington, and Bill Willis, who opened the field for African Americans to compete across the
national professional sports landscape.
CONTACTS
Marlea Willis- EPIX: (212) 846-6748 / mwillis@epixhd.com
Chelsea Burrell-EPIX: (212) 846-6891 / cburrell@epixhd.com
Lina Plath- FRANK PR: (646) 861-0843 / lina@frankpublicity.com
Clare Anne Darragh- FRANK PR: (646) 861-0843 / clareanne@frankpublicity.com
Joe Favorito- Joe Favorito PR: (201) 746-0005 / fatherknickerbocker1@yahoo.com
For additional press materials visit: press.epix.com/programming/forgotten-four-theintegration-of-pro-football
FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL
SYNOPSIS
The history of the civil rights movement includes many game-changing stories of courage and
perseverance in the face of great odds. One of the most stirring, but least known, chronicles the
struggles and triumphs of four African American athletes who broke the color barrier in 1946, a
year before Jackie Robinson integrated Major League Baseball.
Marion Motley, Woody Strode, Kenny Washington, and Bill Willis, the “Forgotten Four,” charted
the path for the desegregation of professional sports, after a 13-year period of an unwritten but
very real “whites only” policy.
Professional football was integrated in the early 20th century: from 1904 to 1933 seventeen
African Americans played in the NFL. In the 1920’s, athletes such as Charles Follis, Fritz Pollard,
and Paul Robeson were active members of their teams, though they remained in the shadows of
their more celebrated white counterparts. The advances they and others made, however,
crashed as the Great Depression hit the country in 1929. Doors that had begun to open wider
during the time of greater economic prosperity were now abruptly closed.
Work was suddenly scarce, and the public viewed African American athletes as taking jobs from
white men. A “gentleman’s agreement” was formed among NFL team owners not to sign
African American athletes, thus segregating professional football. College sports, however, still
provided opportunities for African American athletes, and Motley, Strode, Washington, and
Willis were stars of their college football teams:

At UCLA, Strode and Washington contributed to the Bruin’s 1939 undefeated season.

Motley, at the University of Nevada, Reno, was one of the country’s top fullbacks.

Willis helped Ohio State win the Big Ten conference and national championship under
coach Paul Brown, a key figure in the story of the “Forgotten Four.”
FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL
SYNOPSIS
Despite their many obvious talents and achievements, however, the U.S. wasn’t ready to
remove the barriers for African Americans, circumstances that were not eased as World War II
called them to duty.
More than a million African Americans served their country during the war, at the same time
continuing to fight for their civil rights in what continued to be a “Jim Crow” army. Some African
American soldiers who fought in France and other parts of the European Theater experienced
more positive attitudes towards them than they did at home, and the Tuskegee Airmen, who
shot down German bombers, were recognized for their valor. African American soldiers’
willingness to fight and die for their country helped contribute to the measured but hopeful
possibility that things would change for the better.
In March 1946, that change became increasingly evident as Kenny Washington and Woody
Strode were signed to the Los Angeles Rams, and Coach Paul Brown brought Marion Motley and
Bill Willis to the Cleveland Browns, finally ending the shameful era of segregation in professional
football.
Forgotten Four: The Integration of Pro Football, returns these pioneers to their rightful place
in American, sports, and civil rights history, as champions who fought racism on and off the
field, running interference for future generations.
FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL
BIOGRAPHIES
Marion Motley, born on June 5, 1920 in Leesburg Georgia,
grew up in Canton, Ohio, where he attended Canton
McKinley High School and played both football and
basketball. Particularly effective as a fullback, he helped
his school achieve a 25-3 record during his time there. The
three losses were against one of the school’s biggest
rivals, Massilon Washington High School, led by Coach
Paul Brown. After a brief stint at South Carolina State
College, and from there transferring to the University of
Nevada, Reno (star football player 1941-1943), he
returned to Canton after suffering a serious knee injury.
Marion joined the United States Navy in 1944 and was
based at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. There he
played for the Great Lakes Blue Jackets, a military team
coached by his former adversary, Paul Brown. After the
war, Brown became coach of the Cleveland Browns in the new All-America Football Conference
and invited Marion to try out. Then working in a steel mill with plans to return to Reno to receive
his degree, Marion changed direction, made the team, and took his rightful place on the field.
Woody Strode was born on July 25, 1914 in Los Angeles,
California, where he attended UCLA. During college, he
was a world-class decathlon athlete as well as a talented
football player. Woody, along with Kenny Washington
and Jackie Robinson – who became the first African
American player in major league baseball in 1947 – made
up three of the four backfield players. After his time in
college, Woody had brief stints in professional wrestling
and in film acting as a way to support himself. In 1946, he
was given an opportunity to play professional football for
the Los Angeles Rams alongside his UCLA teammate
Washington. He only played for one year before deciding
to play Canadian football for the Calgary Stampeders. He
left the field of sports in 1949 due to injury, and went on
to a successful acting career in Hollywood.
FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL
BIOGRAPHIES
Kenny Washington was born on August 31, 1918 in Los
Angeles, California. He grew up in an area known as
Lincoln Heights, starred as a running back at Abraham
Lincoln High School, and attended UCLA along with
Woody Strode and Jackie Robinson. At the time, there
were only a dozen black players in all of college football,
and UCLA had four of them. Kenny helped guide the
1939 UCLA Bruins to a championship, that year leading
the nation in total offense. He became the first
consensus All-American in the history of the school’s
program, but was omitted from the East-West Shrine
Game, an action many attributed to racial prejudice.
Kenny played for the Hollywood Bears in the Pacific
Coast Professional Football League from 1941-1945. In
1946, the Los Angeles Rams signed him and fellow UCLA teammate Woody Strode to play in
the NFL. The impact he had on the league was enormous, as he immediately became a bona
fide star.
Bill Willis, born on October 5, 1921 in Columbus, Ohio,
attended Columbus East High School where he
participated in track and field and played on the football
team. After graduating from high school, Bill enrolled at
Ohio State University in 1941 and played under Coach
Paul Brown. Bill played middle guard, helping the
Buckeyes post a 9-1 record, win the Big Ten Conference,
and a national championship. Before the following
season, Bill, along with other players, enlisted in the U.S
Army, but he was classified as 4-F due to varicose veins. In
1944, Bill was named to the United Press International
and Look Magazine All-America Teams. He played in the
1944 College All Star game against the Chicago Bears and
was named the game’s outstanding player. With a desire
to still play football after college, he called Coach Brown who at that point was a coach with the
Cleveland Browns. He was invited to try out, made the team alongside Marion Motley, and was
integral to the reintegration of professional football.
FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL
TIMELINE
1904- Charles Follis is believed to be the first black professional football player, playing for the
Shelby Steamfitters for two seasons.
1920 – Players of color Fritz Pollard, Bobby Marshall, and Paul Robeson are active in the
National Football League.
1921- Fritz Pollard becomes the first African American coach in the NFL.
1933- Two black players remain in the NFL, Joe Lillard and Ray Kemp. They are the last two
players to play on the league because of the “color lines” established by owners, until after
World War II. Players of color remain in prominent roles in college football however, and play in
semi-pro leagues around the country.
1939 –Kenny Washington earns All-America status at UCLA and is selected to play in the
College All-Star Game in Chicago. Bears coach George Halas attempts to sign Washington, but
is pressured by Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall and other owners into
withdrawing the offer. Washington plays for the next six years with semi-professional teams,
despite growing sentiment to give him and other players of color an opportunity to play in the
NFL.
1946 – The Cleveland Rams request and are granted permission by the NFL to move to Los
Angeles and play in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Their request to play in the Coliseum is
denied by the City of Los Angeles unless they integrate the team. African American members of
the press circulate a petition requesting that Kenny Washington be signed by owner Dan Reeves
to play for the Rams. Reeves agrees and signs Washington and fellow UCLA star Woody Strode,
making them the first African Americans to break the barrier and join an NFL team.
During the 1946 season, the Cleveland Browns of the new All-America Football Conference seize
a similar opportunity, as Coach Paul Brown signs Ohio State’s Bill Willis and University of
Nevada’s Marion Motley to contracts.
All four men join professional football in the fall of 1946, effectively breaking the color barrier a
year before Jackie Robinson’s historic elevation to Major League Baseball.
FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL
QUOTE SHEET
Kalai Strode, Woody Strode’s son
“My dad was the kind of man that every man wants to be. The men loved him because he was
rugged, he was tough. Women loved him because he was graceful, he was courteous, and he
had a great physicality.”
“When I look at all of the African Americans in pro football, they don’t realize that they’re there
because Willis and Motley, Washington and Strode, opened a door.”
Karin L. Cohen, Kenny Washington’s daughter
“Everybody knew him. I knew he wasn’t the mayor, I knew he wasn’t the king, but everybody
treated him like that, so I kind of thought he ran things.”
Tony Motley, Marion Motley’s grandson
“He was just a man among boys. He wasn’t going to run from you, he was going to run at you,
and it was going to take a couple of people to stop him.”
“They were pioneers of the game, not only in the sense of football, but just life.”
William Willis, Jr. Bill Willis’ son
“I can’t think of anybody who has been so inspirational in terms of how to carry yourself, how to
try and do the very best in every situation, than my Dad.
Clem Willis, Bill Willis’ son
[My Dad was] a man of character, whose concept was lift as we climb. And he did that
throughout his life.”
Mike Brown, Paul Brown’s son
“Bill was a great player, and he had a firmness of character that was exceptional.”
Jarrett Bell, NFL columnist, USA Today
“Bill Willis, Marion Motley, Kenny Washington, Woody Strode, they never had the adulation,
they never really gained the acknowledgement that, say, a Jackie Robinson did for what they did
for pro football.”
Joe Horrigan, Vice President of Communications and Exhibits, Pro Football Hall of Fame
“Branch Rickey [President and GM, Brooklyn Dodgers] was also in 1946 a part owner of the
football Brooklyn Dodgers, and played against the Cleveland Browns in the All American
Football Conference, and Branch Rickey once told Marion Motley that had [he] not had the
experience of seeing [Motley] and Bill Willis play in a contact sport, without incident, [he] might
not have had the courage to bring Jackie Robinson up into the majors.”
FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL
QUOTE SHEET
Lonnie G. Bunch, Director, National Museum of African History and Culture
“Kenny Washington especially brings credibility to the Los Angeles Rams; he in many ways is an
example of how African Americans through their efforts not only improved the lot of African
Americans but improved the lot of those who cared about professional football.”
“Anyone who played professional football in the years after World War II recognized that race
mattered…you always think that once you’re on the field you’re equal and yet all of those
players will tell stories about how people tried to make sure that they knew they were inferior,
so in that sense it’s almost as if they were on an island.”
“These men integrating football a year before Jackie Robinson is crucially important. These four
men created a foundation on which generations built upon, and their actions, both on and off
the field, opened a door that allowed other people to follow.”
“These men were exceptional and they carried amazing burdens, so were they courageous?
Absolutely. Were they pioneers? They clearly were. But what they really were were people who
came out of an African American community and realized that their job was to ensure not only
their own success but the success of the broader community. And that is a heavy burden that
they carried and they carried it well.”
Khalil Gibran Muhammad, Director, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
“The laws against using interracial bathrooms, waiting rooms, all of it was a way of reinforcing
the fundamental inferiority of black people, and the superiority of whites.”
FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL
CREDITS
President & CEO, EPIX
Mark Greenberg
Online Editor
Don Wylie
Narrator
Jeffrey Wright
Assistant Editor
Mike Basone
Executive Producers
Ross Greenburg
Wesley E. Smith
Original Music
Wayne Sharpe
John Sands
Executive Producer for EPIX
Ross Bernard
Additional Cameras
Michael Bozzo
Peter Franchella
Jim Karabin
Joe LoMonaco
Adam Zebersky
Producer
Ross Greenburg
Producer for EPIX
Jill Burkhart
Director
Johnson McKelvy
Writer
Aaron Cohen
Associate Producers
Chi-Young Park
Ben Warhit
Directors of Photography
Samson Chan
Taylor Morrison
Production Manager for EPIX
Valerie Bishop
Creative Consultants
Michael Fuchs
Michael Greenburg
Steve Hartman
Donovan McNabb
Editor
Jeff Reilly
Audio
Manuel Garcia
Todd Johnson
Jason Magher
Alan Strusser
Joel Ryan Tower
Mark Wilson
Audio Mix
Mike Ryan
Graphic Designer
Paul Apito
Post Production Facility
Elements Post
Football Players
Aland Joseph
Ryan Durkin
Archival Researcher
Chi-Young Park
Additional Archival Research Assistance
Lisa Janssen
Production Assistant
Colin Jones
Special thanks to the National Football League
FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL
APPEARANCES BY
FAMILY MEMBERS:
 Tony Motley
Marion Motley’s grandson
 Mike Brown
Paul Brown’s son
 William Willis, Jr.
Bill Willis’ son
 Clem Willis
Bill Willis’ son
 Karin L. Cohen
Kenny Washington’s daughter
 Kalai Strode
Woody Strode’s son
FORMER PLAYERS:
 Bob Gain
Cleveland Browns, 1952-64
 Sherman Howard
Cleveland Browns, 1952-53
 Don Shula
Cleveland Browns, 1951-52
 Jim Hardy
Los Angeles Rams, 1946-48
 George Taliaferro
Indiana University, 1945-48
WRITERS/ HISTORIANS:
 Joe Horrigan
Pro Football Hall of Fame
 Lonnie G. Bunch
Director, National Museum of African
American History and Culture
 Khalil Gibran Muhammad
Director, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
 Jarrett Bell
NFL Columnist, USA Today
 Brad Pye, Jr.
Former Sports Editor, Los Angeles Sentinel
FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL
“APPEARANCES BY” BIOS
Jarrett Bell is an NFL columnist for USA Today Sports. He’s covered the National Football League
since 1981. Previously, Bell covered the San Francisco 49ers for the Marin Independent Journal and
the Dallas Cowboys for the Dallas Cowboys Weekly. He has been a member of the Pro Football Hall
of Fame Selection Committee since 1997 and has participated on an exclusive media panel that has
helped select the Super Bowl MVP for the past 15 Super Bowls.
Michael “Mike” Brown is the owner of the Cincinnati Bengals. He is the son of former Cleveland
Browns, Ohio State University, and Cincinnati Bengals coach/founder, Paul Brown.
Lonnie G. Bunch earned his B.A and M.A from American University. In 1983, he became the first
curator at the California African American Museum. Bunch also served as President of the Chicago
Historical Society from 2001-2005. Bunch is currently the director of the National Museum of African
American History and Culture.
Bob Gain played on the Cleveland Browns for twelve seasons (1952, 1954-1964). He played
defensive tackle on six Browns Eastern Conference and three NFL championship teams. He was
named to the West Virginia and Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame, played a one time All-Pro season,
and was voted NFL Defensive Lineman of the year by the Los Angeles Times in 1957.
Jim Hardy played college football at the University of Southern California (1942-1945). He was
drafted in the first round (eighth overall) of the 1945 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins. He
played quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams from 1946-1948, and made the Pro Bowl in 1950.
Joe Horrigan is currently Vice President of Communications and Exhibits at the Pro Football Hall of
Fame, where he also served as Curator and Director of Research Information. He received his
education at the University of Akron and Canisius College.
Sherman Howard played football for a brief time at the University of Iowa, but transferred to
Nevada-Reno due to racial prejudice. He served in the military during World War II, and was a
running back for the Cleveland Browns (1952-1953), where he helped the team to win two NFL
American Conference championships.
Khalil Gibran Muhammad is the director of the Schomburg Center of Research in Black Culture,
based in Harlem, New York. Prior to this he was an associate professor at Indiana University. He
graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1993, and
received his PhD in American History from Rutgers University.
FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL
“APPEARANCES BY” BIOS
Brad Pye, Jr. served as Sports Editor for the Los Angeles Sentinel for 30 years. He also was a sports
columnist and broadcaster for Los Angeles County for 24 years.
Donald Shula was selected in the ninth round of the 1951 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, and
was one of the two rookies playing alongside Marion Motley and Bill Willis during that season, when
he recorded four interceptions. His playing career lasted from 1951-1957. He went on to become
coach of the Baltimore Colts and the Miami Dolphins, and in 1972 the Miami Dolphins were the only
undefeated Super Bowl Champions in NFL history.
George Taliaferro played football for Indiana University, leading the program to its only undefeated
Big Ten Conference championship. He led the Hoosiers in rushing twice, punting in 1945, and passing
in 1948. He was the first African American drafted in the thirteenth round of the 1949 NFL Draft by
the Chicago Bears but chose to play for the Los Angeles Dons. His career lasted from 1949-1955.
FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL
PRODUCTION BIOS
Ross Greenburg (Executive Producer) created Ross Greenburg
Productions in 2011 after a 33-year career at HBO, where he served as
Senior Vice President and Executive Producer of HBO Sports (1985-2000)
and President of HBO Sports (2000-2011).
Recognized as one of the most innovative producers and best storytellers
in television history, Ross now brings his creativity and vision to a larger
audience, and a wider variety of programming opportunities.
Ross has won more than 85 major television sports awards, including
eight Peabody Awards, 51 Sports Emmy®Awards, 21 Cable ACE awards,
12 Cine Golden Eagles Awards, and five Monitor Awards from the Video Tape Production
Association.
Jeffrey Wright (Narrator) was born and raised in Washington D.C., and
graduated from Amherst College in 1987. Upon graduating, Jeffrey
received a full acting scholarship from NYU’s drama department, but left
after two months to pursue a full time acting career. His prestigious roles
on the big screen include Peoples Hernandez in Shaft (2000) and Al
Melvin in The Manchurian Candidate (2004). Today, Jeffrey can most
notably be seen in the Hunger Games trilogy and the hit television
series, Boardwalk Empire.
Donovan McNabb (Creative Consultant), a first round draft pick in 1999
by the Philadelphia Eagles, and the second player overall, has raised the
bar with superstar accomplishments on and off the playing field. He took
over as the Eagles’ starting quarterback in game 10 of the 1999 season,
and never looked back. His .612 (98-62-1) win percentage as a starter
would rank near the top among active QBs. His 98 wins rank 12th in NFL
history behind eight Hall of Famers and three surefire selections (Brett
Favre, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning).