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Mannie Jackson elected into Basketball Hall of Fame
He was born in a railroad boxcar near Illmo, Missouri. Real poverty but close friends of mine who went to school with him in that time tell of people in Eville who saw something in him, steered him in the right, mentored him and then got out of his way.
And when he saw opportunity he jumped on it with both feet. A real Horatio Alger story. He also went to school in Champaign when that was not a welcoming town for black Americans. And to his everlasting credit, he grew past that
And when he saw opportunity he jumped on it with both feet. A real Horatio Alger story. He also went to school in Champaign when that was not a welcoming town for black Americans. And to his everlasting credit, he grew past that
Amazing story! Thanks for sharing. Congrats Mannie on an outstanding life of accomplishment!
To say that Mannie Jackson was a player for the Harlem Globetrotters is like saying Ernie Banks worked part time for the Chicago Cubs.
He owns the Harlem Globetrotters.
He was executive vice president in charge of corporate acquisitions for Honeywell before he was 40.
I know that he is getting in for his basketball accomplishments but his life was a lot more nuanced than that.
He owns the Harlem Globetrotters.
He was executive vice president in charge of corporate acquisitions for Honeywell before he was 40.
I know that he is getting in for his basketball accomplishments but his life was a lot more nuanced than that.
Congrats, Mannie!
A good friend of mine, Alison Davis-Wood, produced a great documentary about Manny Jackson called "From Boxcar to Boardrooms."
As the first African American b-ball team captain he automatically became the first black Homecoming King. Not our school's proudest moment how they handled worry over the optics of him being publicly coupled with the white Homecoming Queen. Kudos to her for having the courage to stand up to the Administration and do the right thing back then. She actually attended the film's premiere here a few years ago. Class act.
You can watch the entire 43 minute film here:
From Boxcar to Boardrooms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugz6oPGIun0
[youtube]ugz6oPGIun0[/youtube]
As the first African American b-ball team captain he automatically became the first black Homecoming King. Not our school's proudest moment how they handled worry over the optics of him being publicly coupled with the white Homecoming Queen. Kudos to her for having the courage to stand up to the Administration and do the right thing back then. She actually attended the film's premiere here a few years ago. Class act.
You can watch the entire 43 minute film here:
From Boxcar to Boardrooms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugz6oPGIun0
[youtube]ugz6oPGIun0[/youtube]
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Manny is featured prominently in this documentary of course (along with several other notable personalities). I highly recommend this 1 hr documentary.
When he lived in Eville as a very young boy, people have told me that he would go with his mother to clean the houses and do the laundry in the homes on St Louis St. His work ethic, politeness, and sharpness caught the eye of a lot of those people and they mentored him.
A friend of mine who was a freshman when Mannie was a senior used the word "aura" to describe Mannie walking down the hall in school. Cream always rises to the top.
A friend of mine who was a freshman when Mannie was a senior used the word "aura" to describe Mannie walking down the hall in school. Cream always rises to the top.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Good for Mannie.
Also--weird seeing Self in an orange jacket again....
Also--weird seeing Self in an orange jacket again....