Review by Choice Review
Carroll presents the fascinating life history of a pioneering African American athlete and entrepreneur and uses Pollard's experiences as an opportunity to illumine important but previously understudied aspects of African American history. Pollard's ancestors had been slaves in Virginia, but won their freedom at the end of the Revolutionary War. His father grew up free in Kansas, fought with the Second Colored Kansas Regiment in the war against slavery, and distinguished himself as a barber and businessman after the Emancipation. This history of achievement effectively prepared Pollard for his own success as a student and all-American football player at Brown University, as a professional athlete, and as an investment securities banker, film producer, publisher, and booking agent. This compelling biography enhances knowledge about sports history, about the African American entrepreneurial tradition, and about the persistence of white racism in the face of black achievement. All levels. G. Lipsitz; University of California, San Diego
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
