NFL Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell, who became the first African American to play for the Washington Redskins, has died at the age of 84
NFL Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell, who became the first African American to play for the Washington Redskins, died Sunday, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was 84.
His cause of death was not disclosed. Mitchell was a seventh-round pick in the 1958 NFL draft from the University of Illinois, according to the NFL's website. He played 11 seasons in the NFL as a halfback for the Cleveland Browns and a receiver for the Washington Redskins. "The Game lost a true legend today," said David Baker, Hall of Fame president and CEO.
— Washington Redskins April 6, 2020 While a great athlete on the field, Mitchell was a civil rights activist off the field. He was one of the many star African American athletes pictured with Muhammad Ali in 1967 at the Cleveland Summit, where Mitchell and others -- including NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Browns legend Jim Brown -- stood together and supported Ali's decision not to enlist in the US military during Vietnam.
But he should be equally celebrated for his dedicated activism off the field to pave the way for generations to come. pic.twitter.com/repuNeMCJv — Washington Redskins April 6, 2020 Mitchell was also a civil rights advocate who worked with organizations including the NAACP, UNCF and National Urban League, the Redskins website said. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983, according to HOF website. CNN's Jill Martin contributed to this report.
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