Unless you’re a basketball fan, you may not have ever heard of Coach Dean Smith of the University of North Carolina Tarheels, but he was the most successful college coach of his time.
He passed away this past weekend. And we all should mourn–not because he was a great basketball coach, though he was the most successful college coach of his time. He won two national championships. When he retired he had 879 victories.
We should mourn his death and celebrate his life, because he was a great man, a strong and courageous progressive who helped carry our banner throughout his career in a southern state and a largely southern athletic conference.
Coach Smith gave the first basketball scholarship to an African-American player in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference–Charlie Scott in 1965. Smith stayed in the forefront advocating civil rights and social justice.
He was a regular contributor to my friend Si Kahn’s social justice training institute called Grassroots Leadership.
Finally, Coach Smith was a force in the North Carolina Democratic Party.
He cared about much more than the sport he loved and the way he made his living. He cared about his players, justice, and his nation.
Image: Smith with Charlie Scott in the 1969 ACC Tournament.
Image source: 1969 NEWS & OBSERVER FILE PHOTO