Tony Nathan Impact On Society

Tony Nathan took a stand for what was right, God and equality. He is responsible for starting a religious movement in Alabama as well as desegregation in Alabama. He did so on the football field as well as off of it too. Tony Nathan excelled in life not only in classroom or on the football field but in society, something that seems so simple but yet very few people can do it. Now imagine you are an African-American growing up in the late 60s and early 70s, it seems unlikely that you would be able to be a role model for blacks and whites, someone that white people respect. For Tony Nathan it seemed to come easier than to most. That is what most people would think if they heard the story of Tony Nathan but what he did was way more than just playing

Nathan, at first didnʻt see much playing time until he started showing what he could do. Once that happened he began gaining statewide attention. It got to the point of Nathan winning the MVP of high school football in Alabama. Nathan did much more than run a football though. Most people only saw him play but not what he had to go through in order to do so. Nathan had to persevere through so much hatred and oppression that success for a normal person would not be possible. However Nathan was an extraordinary person. He gained the trust and camaraderie of his team and coaches which were mostly white people. In doing so he showed that people of different color can come together and do amazing things. That not only changed his team and his school but almost all of Birmingham was starting to accept African-Americans. Even the mayor of Birmingham, who once said “Negros will never be allowed to attend The University of Alabama. Not now, not ever!” was the first person to shake Nathanʻs hand as he received yet another football award for his greatness on the field. The most segregated and probably at the time the most racist part of America was starting to change for the better and it was all because of one manʻs ability both on and off the field. Nathan was one of the sparks that set the desegregation of Alabama into

However Nathan did much more than break the racial barrier that had been hindering American for decades. Nathan brought back something Birmingham was in desperate need of at the time. He brought God back into the hearts and lives or over 80,000 people. Of course this was not Nathanʻs intentions but the Lord worked through him to bring his children back to him. Nathan started this religious movement in a very small and seemingly insignificant way. At first Nathan held prayer sessions on campus which of course the school was upset about but Nathan continued to publicly praise God. Then he started having bible studies in which he would invite his teammates and coaches to come and worship God. He also let his faith be known while on the field. Before every game and practice he and his team would pray. Nathan would also tape a verse or an acknowledgement of God on the back of his helmet. Also when Nathan would score, which happened a lot, he would point to the sky to show that all the glory and praise should go to God. Nathan also brought his coach to become baptized and even helped convert Woodlawnʻs rival team to Christianity. On the day of the state playoffs Woodlawn faced their rival school and they decided to pray. 80,000 people at the game that day decided to join in prayer with the teams. Nathan was the only scorer on his team that game