Iowa State's first Black athlete, whose courage and sacrifice made him the namesake of the only major college stadium named for a Black man.
John G. “Jack” Trice, born in 1902 in Ohio, came to Iowa State College and became the school's first African American athlete. In only his second varsity game, against Minnesota in October 1923, he was injured and died two days later.
His dignity — captured in a letter he wrote the night before the game about representing his race and school — inspired a decades-long student movement to honor him.
After years of student advocacy, Iowa State named its football stadium Jack Trice Stadium — the only stadium in major college football named for an African American. A statue of Trice stands outside it.
His story is taught as a landmark in Iowa State and Iowa history.
Iowa State's first Black athlete, whose courage and sacrifice made him the namesake of the only major college stadium named for a Black man.
Jack Trice was from Ames, Iowa.
1902–1923.
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Portrait: Wikimedia Commons (public domain or freely licensed).