Foreword written by JJ Redick
Foreword by JJ Redick
JJ Redick is an NBA player at the shooting guard position who currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers. He was selected 11th overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2006 NBA Draft. During his collegiate years, Redick played for Duke University. Duke retired his jersey on February 4, 2007.
Redick is known for his free throw and three-point shooting. He set ACC records for most points (which has since been surpassed by Tyler Hansbrough, formerly of the University of North Carolina), consecutive free throws made, and most career ACC tournament points; and set several Duke records, including most points in a single season. Redick is currently the all-time leading scorer for Duke [from Wikipedia…].
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Cover Art by Shomari Smith
Cover Art by Shomari Smith
Shomari Smith is a multi-dimensional artist who takes advantage of every form of media to express himself. Born and raised in the Bay Area’s Oakland Hills,Shomari developed a knack for capturing moments while working for the Oakland Unified School District’s Public Access Channel. He has a BA in Illustration from the California College of Arts. With technology rapidly evolving, Shomari uses it to his advantage and even has the luxury of choosing which way he’d like to express himself.
Soon after college, Shomari began taking photos on the sidelines for the Oakland Raiders games is now a regular among photographers at home games. Shomari also shoots a weekly television program, “In Bounds with the Raiders,” which features one player per episode, highlighted for his efforts on and off the field. Shomari is comfortable capturing all aspects of a professional athlete’s life, from game action to Adonal Foyle’s basketball camps in the Caribbean and pitcher CC Sabathia’s charity work to other community service activities and charity events hosted by professional athletes.
Shomari has also displayed his artistic side working with various businesses. Among his works is the CC Sabathia Hat Design for Brand Jordan, Adonal Foyle’s All-Star Student-Athletes project for Kerosene Lamp Foundation, The Imagine Peace series for the City of Oakland and cover for the audio book, “On the Shoulder of Giants,” by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
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Preface written by Tommie Smith
Preface by Tommie Smith
Tommie Smith began life quietly, born to Richard and Dora Smith on June 6, 1944, in Clarksville, Texas, the seventh of 12 children. Tommie Smith survived a life-threatening bout of pneumonia as an infant, which allowed him to carry out the work that God intended for him. Today, his historic achievements make him a nationally and internationally distinguished figure in African American history. He is the only man in the history of track and field to hold eleven world records simultaneously. As a college student, Tommie amazingly tied or broke a total of 13 world records in track.
Tommie Smith received his Bachelor of Arts degree from San Jose State University in Social Science, with double minors in Military Science and Physical Education. Tommie received his Masters Degree in Sociology from Goddard Cambridge in Boston, Mass. May 2005 Honorary Doctorate Degree of Humane Letters from San Jose State University.
During the historic 19th Olympiad held in Mexico City, in the summer of 1968, Tommie Smith broke the world and Olympic records with a time of 19.83 seconds and became the 200-meter Olympic champion. As the Star Spangled Banner echoed in the wind, at the Mexico City Summer Olympic Games, Tommie Smith and John Carlos stood on the victory podium, draped with their Olympic medals, each raised a clinched fist, covered in a black leather glove in a historic stand for human rights, liberation and solidarity. This courageous, unexpected worldwide event propelled Tommie Smith into the spotlight as a human rights spokesman, activist, and symbol of African American pride at home and abroad. Cheered by some, jeered by others, and ignored by many more, Tommie Smith made a commitment to dedicate his life, even at great personal risk, to champion the cause of oppressed people. The story of the “silent gesture” is captured for all time in the 1999 HBO TV documentary, “Fists of Freedom”.
Tommie Smith’s courageous leadership, talent, and activisim have earned him well-deserved acclaim athletic and humanitarian awards. Some highlights have been: featured in perodicals including Sports Illustrated, Time, Newsweek, and Ebony. In 1978 he was inductee into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame, coaching staff of 1995 World Indoor Championship team in Barcelona, Spain, 1996 inductee into the California Black Sports Hall of Fame, 1999 Sportsman of the Millennium Award, May 1999 inductee into the Bay Area Hall of Fame, November 1999 inductee into the San Jose State University Sports Hall of Fame, 2000-2001 Commendation, Recognition and Proclamation Awards from the County of Los Angeles and the State of Texas, New York City to name a few. 2004 dedication of the Tommie Smith gymnasium in Saint-Ouen, France, 2005 the City of La Courneuve, France dedicated the Tommie Smith Sports House.
Since the games of the XIX Olympiad, Tommie has enjoyed a distinguished career as a coach, educator, athletic director and activitist.
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