Still running

Nathaniel Northington was born in October 1947, just days after the NAACP brought the issue of racial discrimination before the United Nations. He came of age in a restless country where prejudice and hostility were everywhere, and he could never have foreseen what the next two decades would bring. From boyhood, football was his path. He combined athletic ability with strong academics, which drew the attention of college scouts. This memoir follows him from high school to the milestone of becoming the first Black athlete to receive a football scholarship at the University of Kentucky. It also shows how Black players pushed for their place on the field and off it during the civil rights era.

The narrative builds toward a turning point in American sports. After the sudden death of Greg Page, a close friend and teammate, Northington broke through the racial barriers of the Southeastern Conference and became the first Black player to compete in the SEC. The book looks closely at the game, at the struggle over integration, and at the individual who kept pressing forward.

At its heart, the memoir is also a account of faith. Northington describes finding grace through God's love and holding on to his drive, and his story ends up being about a man who became a sports pioneer.