V 14 N. 20 A New Book About England's First Black Olympic Medallist Harry Edward

 

I received an email this week from Neil Duncanson telling me about the new book he has put out as editor of the memoir of Harry Morton, England's first black Olympic Medallist.  The story rang a bell in my aging mind, I recalled that I had made mention of that story  almost three years ago.  I had found an earlier article in The Observer by Mr. Duncanson and posted it in this blog.  See link just below.  If you do open the link, you may find the two articles following it interesting as well about two other all but forgotten British athletes.

Once Upon a Time in the Vest

Mr. Duncanson found Harry Edward's memoir in the archives of the Amistad Research Center in New Orleans and prepared it for publication.  

Harry Edward won two Olympic medals in the sprints for his country in 1920, the immediate post WWI Olympics held in Antwerp. 

What is unique in his story is that Harry Edwards as a British subject had been interned in Germany during the war and lived in very harsh conditions for four years.  He came to England immediately after and started competing in athletics as he had as a schoolboy in Germany.  At one point in his career in 1922 he won three major sprint championships in England in the space of an hour.  Then he moved on to the US where he spent most of his life in a variety of pursuits.     See below some commentaries about this book.  

When I asked Neil how he came across the memoir in New Orleans, here was his reply:

Long story, George.

During Covid I was assembling a 4th edition of my book on the men’s Olympic 100 metre champions, The Fastest Men on Earth. 

The publishers wanted some short sketches included on the silver and bronze medalists, as well as the world record holders.

When I got to 1920 I knew the name Harry Edward from the record books, but very little else. The standard records started in 1919 and ended in 1923. That was odd. 

I had his UK athletics records, but there was nothing else in the UK press or sports magazines about him. Not even an obituary.

After some intense digging I came up with some references to the Amistad Center, in New Orleans. It turned out his widow had donated all Harry’s papers to them when he died in 1973. They had sat there largely untouched for 50 years.

When I went out to go through them (9 large boxes) the collection included a variety of versions of a memoir - some handwritten and some typed. I read them all and his story was fantastic, and while his track career was astonishing, the rest of his life was even more so.

He had tried unsuccessfully to get it published before he died, so I decided to finish the job he started.

I hope you enjoy it.best

Neil D

Below are comments from the press release by the publisher Yale University Press, London

“A fascinating historical document, Harry Edward had a sharp eye and an ever-busy pen. Unfailingly frank, humorous, always dignified and empathetic, Edward describes a world in flux, as seen by a Black hero no-one really knows about – and everyone should.” Hugh Muir, Writer and Editor at the Guardian

“The celebration of Britain’s first Black Olympic medallist would merit its own narrative, but that was just the beginning of Harry Edward’s race through life. His story deserves to be told and his experiences should remind us all that we are all equal both in and out of the sporting arena.” Steve Cram, British Track and Field Athlete

“Harry was empowered by his Olympic experience and truly lived the Olympic values. He fought injustice and for inclusion wherever he went. His story is an inspiration to us all and is as relevant today as it was fifty years ago.” Joël Bouzou OLY, World Olympic Association President

“Such a beautiful, engaging, fascinating book – and to think we had it here at the Amistad Research Center all this time. When I Passed the Statue of Liberty I Became Black is a wonderful contribution to the fields of sports and history. Kudos to Neil Duncanson for getting this memoir out into the world where it belongs.” Lisa Moore, Amistad Research Center

“An engrossing account of the life of a remarkable man wrestling with a variety of racial and professional issues in the early twentieth century. It's as if his commitment to athleticism was reflected in the way he dealt with life's more important challenges.” James Walvin, author of The People’s Game

“Captivating. Edward's singular voice and extraordinary achievements should reach a wide audience.”

Simon Hall, author of Ten Days in Harlem

“America's original twentieth century everyman turns out to have been a Black Brit from Berlin by the name of Harry Edward. In the fairer world he fought for, his incredible life story would have been heard long ago. This book is his final, posthumous victory.” Tom Peck, Writer at The Times

“This is a fascinating discovery, a real jewel which yields so many invaluable insights into the life of the truly remarkable Harry Edward, an Olympian in the sporting arena and beyond.” Philip Barker, Editor, Journal of Olympic History

“This is an incredibly important and beautifully constructed tribute to a proper hero. We are incredibly proud of Edward at the University of Westminster (home to the Polytechnic Harriers) and indebted to Neil Duncanson for his extraordinary labour of love in seeing this book finally realised.” Guy Osborn, University of Westminster

 I haven't read this book but it reminds me of another book on a similar topic:  Living on the Color Line by Greg Williams who later became the president at UC (U. of Cincinnati).  I believe you read it because his family moved from Virginia, where they were considered Italian, to Muncie, IN, where they were considered black.