[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 35 (Friday, February 25, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING GEORGE JEWETT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELISSA SLOTKIN-

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 25, 2022

  Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor George Jewett, a 
legend of the gridiron, a physician, and an entrepreneur who blazed a 
trail through the history of both football and race relations, breaking 
barriers and records at every turn, including a forward pass through 
Howell, Michigan.
  Intelligent, driven, and athletically blessed, George was a classic 
all-American, and he was also an African-American at a time when Jim 
Crow was tightening its grip on the country.
  Valedictorian of the class of 1889 at Ann Arbor High School, Jewett 
captained the football and baseball teams--as well as the debate club. 
He was the fastest sprinter in the Midwest, and was fluent in German, 
Italian, and French. He went on to attend the University of Michigan, 
becoming the first African American in the school's history to letter 
in football, and ultimately one of its greatest stars.
  Though he excelled on the field and in the classroom, Jewett endured 
racial taunts and physical abuse on and off the field. A newspaper 
during Jewett's time aptly described him as ``a brilliant player who 
stands punishment with indifference.''
  Jewett transferred to Northwestern University in 1893 where he suited 
up for the Wildcats, becoming the first Black player for that school's 
football team as well. Upon graduating from medical school in 1895, he 
returned to Michigan where Howell Public Schools Superintendent Robert 
Briggs hired the doctor as coach of the first official Howell High 
School football team.
  Now, high school sports had different rules and norms in the late 
1800s, with teams composed of both student athletes and local residents 
who would join them. And that is how Dr. George Jewett became not just 
the first Black coach of a Michigan high school football team, but also 
a teammate.
  To fundraise for the new team, Mr. Jewett hosted a gala at the Howell 
Opera House, a lavish event featuring food, music, and demonstrations 
of football plays.
  By all accounts it was a smashing success, and if it hadn't been for 
that event, we might never have known about the remarkable role George 
Jewett played in Howell's history.
  A program from his fundraiser was recently found under the 
floorboards of the Howell Opera House during its renovation, connecting 
this trailblazing legend to the community, and forever cementing his 
role in Howell history.
  Last fall, the George Jewett Trophy--the first rivalry trophy in 
major college football named for an African American player--debuted in 
Ann Arbor when the University of Michigan played Northwestern 
University. And from now on, the George Jewett Trophy will be played 
for, each and every time the two programs meet on the field.
  I'm so proud to see George Jewett's cultural, academic, and athletic 
accomplishments solidified, immortalized and set in stone.
  It is my honor to record his name and his story so that all who read 
it may catch inspiration from his groundbreaking achievements--So that 
we too may tackle our current challenges with the same dedication and 
perseverance he brought to every aspect of his life--And so that each 
of us may lace up our shoes, march onto the field, and pass on his 
legacy of triumph over adversity, and indifference to punishment.

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