The publication is reproduced in full below:
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.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 35
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