Throughout the 2014-15 school year the Ohio Valley Conference will celebrate the stories of pioneers and leaders from each of our member institutions who paved and continue to pave the way for future generations of student-athletes and administrators. Check back here often as well as check out www.OVCSports.com/Diversity to learn more.
With basketball season in full swing, we look back to 1958 to find out more about the first African-American to play in the OVC.
Marshall Banks arrived at MSU in 1958 and became the first African-American to receive athletic financial aid at Morehead State.
He excelled both academically and athletically during a time when many African-Americans were struggling to find opportunities on the court and in the classroom and would eventually be inducted into the Morehead State Alumni and Athletic Hall of Fames.
Banks was one of the top basketball players in the state of Kentucky in 1958, averaging nearly 23 points a game as a senior at Booker T. Washington High School in Ashland. He led the Hornets to a 23-9 record and an appearance in the state semifinals.
Banks fielded offers from Marshall University and several historically black colleges, including Kentucky State. In the end, however, Banks decided, with the influence of then Morehead State president Adrian Doran and his high school principal C.B. Knuckles, to become an Eagle.
After a season and a half of basketball, Banks decided he did not want to continue his basketball career. With the assurance that he would not lose his scholarship, Banks remained at Morehead State. Later that year he was approached by the track and field coach, Earl Bentley who asked Banks to become a member of the track team, and even though he had never participated in track, he accepted. Banks went on to become an All-Conference performer on the track.
Banks, who was a member of the Dean's List, attributed much of his academic success to Morehead State, and never recalled an incident in the classroom.
But Banks did experience resistance outside the classroom. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 had not yet been passed, and many hotels and restaurants in the South refused to accommodate African-Americans. When he was a member of the basketball team his freshman and sophomore years, he was not allowed to travel to many of the away games because separate accommodations were not made.
Similarly, Banks recalled an incident on a road trip to the conference championship at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
"When we were ready to check into the hotel in Murfreesboro, the owner came out when he noticed that I was with the team," Banks stated recalling the incident. "The owner said 'Coach you didn't tell me Banks was with you.' One of my stipulations for continuing to run track was that I would be able to travel."
To further the situation, Banks was also forced to eat in the kitchen of a local restaurant with the African-American kitchen staff. "The rest of the team were extremely upset by this and wanted to go home," Banks continued. "But I said no, we were here for the championships and we are staying."
Banks also recalled this event later when he was watching basketball on TV.
"I was watching NCAA basketball some years later and Middle Tennessee State was on," Banks began. "The irony was here I was in the early 1960s trying to be a groundbreaker in the OVC and struggling to change the situation. And now I turn on the TV and Middle Tennessee State was starting five black athletes. And I looked at that and realized I did make a difference adding black athletes to the Ohio Valley Conference."
After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehead State, Banks went on to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he earned his Masters of Science as well as his Ph.D. Banks returned to Morehead State to teach and coach both track and field and basketball.
He later taught at Howard University in the Department of Health, Human Performance and Leisure Studies, including serving as the department head.
In March of 2008, Dr. Banks received the Founders Day Award for University Service from Morehead State University.