Did the NAACP overstep their boundaries with Floyd Patterson?
It's been well documented that Sonny Liston's connections with the mob were well known and the NAACP was concerned about having to deal with Liston's visibility as World Champion and had encouraged Patterson not to fight Liston, fearing that a Liston victory would tarnish the civil rights movement.
The NAACP tried to pressure Patterson into not fighting Liston. Were they out of line for this even though the intentions were meant for the betterment of all black people?
Re: Did the NAACP overstep their boundaries with Floyd Patterson?
The NAACP was actually founded by a bunch of white people....kind of ironic no?
Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villard, William English Walling, Florence Kelley, Charles Edward Russell - all white people
A white dude was the very first President of the NAACP, Moorefield Storey!
And their slogan "To promote equality of rights and to eradicate caste or race prejudice among the citizens of the United States; to advance the interest of colored citizens; to secure for them impartial suffrage; and to increase their opportunities for securing justice in the courts, education for the children, employment according to their ability and complete equality before law."
which looks a bit like "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need" which was written by one Louis Blanc and then co-opted by one Karl Marx.
But I digress, politics and boxing should not mix. Sonny Liston was a better boxer than Floyd Patterson, and Sonny deserved his shot at the title earlier. It is a shame that Sonny had to wait so long and then his lifestyle caught up with him, whether he was murdered or he just overdosed it's a tragic tale of a great fighter
Re: Did the NAACP overstep their boundaries with Floyd Patterson?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
El Kabong
The NAACP was actually founded by a bunch of white people....kind of ironic no?
Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villard, William English Walling, Florence Kelley, Charles Edward Russell - all white people
A white dude was the very first President of the NAACP, Moorefield Storey!
And their slogan "To promote equality of rights and to eradicate caste or race prejudice among the citizens of the United States; to advance the interest of colored citizens; to secure for them impartial suffrage; and to increase their opportunities for securing justice in the courts, education for the children, employment according to their ability and complete equality before law."
which looks a bit like "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need" which was written by one Louis Blanc and then co-opted by one Karl Marx.
But I digress, politics and boxing should not mix. Sonny Liston was a better boxer than Floyd Patterson, and Sonny deserved his shot at the title earlier. It is a shame that Sonny had to wait so long and then his lifestyle caught up with him, whether he was murdered or he just overdosed it's a tragic tale of a great fighter
Is the world at hand? I'm agreeing two for two The Kabong man! LOL!- Diddo the origin & diddo the the wrong forum!
Re: Did the NAACP overstep their boundaries with Floyd Patterson?
I think you are making too much of it. NAACP may be a pressure group but did not mean they had any sway in the decision. The fight happened and Liston did not harm the civil rights movement. I believe you should get over it.
Re: Did the NAACP overstep their boundaries with Floyd Patterson?
I bet Floyd wished they had been more emphatic.
Re: Did the NAACP overstep their boundaries with Floyd Patterson?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Master
I think you are making too much of it. NAACP may be a pressure group but did not mean they had any sway in the decision. The fight happened and Liston did not harm the civil rights movement. I believe you should get over it.
The REAL pressure group of the era in regards to boxing was The Nation of Islam...they did a lot of fighters dirty, even Ali himself
Re: Did the NAACP overstep their boundaries with Floyd Patterson?
The NAACP was looking out for themselves.
Instead of offering Sonny Liston a guiding-hand, and help to improve his
image, they 'spat' on him.
On Floyd, he ran out of reasons {some legitimate and some not} in not offering
Sonny Liston a challenge for the World Championship.
Not to forget,
Floyd Patterson gave Sonny the opportunity to fight for the Title, but Floyd
and his Management really 'screwed' Sonny and his Manager {Jack Nilon}
over in the fight contact.
The famous Attorney - Roy Cohn was involved in 'shafting' the Liston Team.
Did the NAACP look into this 'F***ing' to help Sonny.
NO, unless they got a percentage.
