Jerry Jones Aug 30, 2018; Houston, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on the field before the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

In 1957, the Little Rock school system decided to integrate North Little Rock High School, which was met with resistance by an angry white mob. It turns out that one of the young men who tried to block the path of six Black students attempting to desegregate the school was Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

The Washington Post filed a report on Wednesday that showed Jones was part of that mob intent on keeping Black students out of the school. Beforehand, Jones had only spoken about his presence at the incident as part of historical documentation.

https://twitter.com/sallyjenkinswa1/status/1595382001447669761

“I don’t know that I or anybody anticipated or had a background of knowing … what was involved. It was more a curious thing,” Jones told the Washington Post when asked about why he was there. Details surrounding where he was and how he got there seems to contradict his stated intentions.

Jones has been criticized over the years for his various stance on certain issues. Most recently, while he initially kneeled with players during the national anthem to protest social justice, he later changed his mind, applauding players who didn’t kneel and saying those who did “disrespected the flag.” Jones also apologized in 2017 for a racially insensitive remark he had made in 2013.

The report also notes that Jones has never hired a Black head coach in the 33 years that he’s owned the Cowboys.

The Cowboys owner, who is now 80, is beloved among most of his former African-American players, such as Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin. However, many NFL fans who have seen the report about Jones aren’t surprised.

Jerry Jones may have grown over the years, but it still doesn’t excuse the fact that he took a stand with racists over 60 years ago and will have to answer for that. At the very least, one would hope he would offer some kind of apology and show remorse as a start.

{Washington Post}

About Stacey Mickles

Stacey is a 1995 graduate of the University of Alabama who has previously worked for other publications such as Sportskeeda and Saturday Down South.