In September 1970, the football season at Syracuse University began without nine student-athletes. At a time when Vietnam War and civil rights protests swept over the nation, eight of these Black men chose to boycott the football team until the University addressed issues of institutional racism within the program. The Syracuse 8, comprising Greg Allen, Richard Bulls, John Godbolt, Dana “D.J.” Harrell, John Lobon, Clarence “Bucky” McGill, A. Alif Muhammad (formerly Al Newton), Duane Walker, and Ron Womack (later recognized as a member in 2006), made their stand at a significant personal cost. However, they made their mark on Syracuse University history by serving as a voice for social justice. This digital exhibition presents a wide selection of materials from the University Archives that document the story of the Syracuse 8 and confirm their rightful place in Syracuse University’s history.

Additional related historical materials from the University Archives have been digitized and are available online as the Syracuse 8 Digital Collection.

Please note: This exhibition contains image and text-based archival documents. Please contact the Libraries’ Accessibility Specialist if you require assistance accessing this content.