Spring Break
Former Ram praises changes
CSU hall-of-famer acknowledges U.S. accomplishments, progress during Black History Month
Scott Callahan
Issue date: 2/6/09 Section: News
For former CSU football hall-of-famer Gregory Primus life was full of racial tension. But this year marks a change for the better after the first black president of the United States took office.
Speaking to a crowd of about 100 students, teachers and athletes Thursday night, Primus contrasted how racial history affected him and his family throughout his childhood and his career with the Rams with this year's break in racial barriers.
Black Student Services brought Primus to CSU as part of the university's celebration of Black History Month.
When the black former wide receiver, who made his mark on the Rams football team when he was inducted into the Alma Mater Hall of Fame in 2003, was in the second grade he attended an integrated school of black and white children in the late 1970's.
His teacher had assigned readings for classes, but he didn't get the correct curriculum for his grade level, he told the Collegian in an interview this week.
He walked through the local library with his mom and saw the book he was assigned in class. He pointed out the book to his mother, and when she looked at the book she noticed it was of first-grade reading level.
His mother went to the school to talk with Primus' teacher about the book. The teacher explained that the class was divided into two levels of reading, one for slower readers and one for faster readers.
But, he said, his mother realized that all of the kids in the slow reading level were black and all the kids in the fast reading level were white.
Since that time, though, Primus said, the U.S. made its biggest step last year toward healing racial wounds and accepting minorities, when it decided that it was ready for Barack Obama to be president.
"Every step (toward equality) is a huge milestone," Primus said. "This is a huge leap. This is a position I think a lot of black people thought was impossible."
In Washington D.C., Primus watched Obama take the oath of office with his family behind a group of Tuskegee Airmen, who were the first blackmilitary airmen.
Speaking to a crowd of about 100 students, teachers and athletes Thursday night, Primus contrasted how racial history affected him and his family throughout his childhood and his career with the Rams with this year's break in racial barriers.
Black Student Services brought Primus to CSU as part of the university's celebration of Black History Month.
When the black former wide receiver, who made his mark on the Rams football team when he was inducted into the Alma Mater Hall of Fame in 2003, was in the second grade he attended an integrated school of black and white children in the late 1970's.
His teacher had assigned readings for classes, but he didn't get the correct curriculum for his grade level, he told the Collegian in an interview this week.
He walked through the local library with his mom and saw the book he was assigned in class. He pointed out the book to his mother, and when she looked at the book she noticed it was of first-grade reading level.
His mother went to the school to talk with Primus' teacher about the book. The teacher explained that the class was divided into two levels of reading, one for slower readers and one for faster readers.
But, he said, his mother realized that all of the kids in the slow reading level were black and all the kids in the fast reading level were white.
Since that time, though, Primus said, the U.S. made its biggest step last year toward healing racial wounds and accepting minorities, when it decided that it was ready for Barack Obama to be president.
"Every step (toward equality) is a huge milestone," Primus said. "This is a huge leap. This is a position I think a lot of black people thought was impossible."
In Washington D.C., Primus watched Obama take the oath of office with his family behind a group of Tuskegee Airmen, who were the first blackmilitary airmen.
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