Charles "Chuck" Cooper
On April 25, 1950, Charles "Chuck" Cooper
Was Selected In The Second Round Of The National Basketball Association Draft By Boston Celtics Owner Walter Brown And Broke The Color Barrier In the NBA.
Born September 29, 1926, In Pittsburgh, The 6'5" Cooper Attended West Virginia State Before Going Into The Navy During World War II. Afterwards He Attended Duquesne University And Was One Of The First Black All-Americans.
As The First Black In The NBA, Cooper Made His Debut With The Celtics on November 1, 1950 And Played Six Seasons In The League. He Played A Season For the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks And The Fort Wayne Pistons, Before Finishing His Career Outside The NBA With The Harlem Magicians.
Cooper Later Earned A Master's Degree In Social Work From The University Of Minnesota. He served On Pittsburgh's School Board, And Became The City's First Black Department Head As Director Of Parks And Recreation.
Chuck Cooper Also Worked As Supervisor Of Pittsburgh's National Bank's Affirmative Action Program Before He Died February 5, 1984.
It Should Be Noted That While Chuck Cooper Was The First African American To Be Drafted By An NBA Team During The 1950-1951 Season, Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton Became The First Black Player To Sign An NBA Contract When He Signed With The New York Nicks, And Earl Lloyd Became The First To Play in An NBA Regular-Season Game Because The Schedule Had His Washington Team Opening One Day Before The Others.
"In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It." -- Hubert Gaddy, Jr.
