“By the time he made history as a first-round draft pick for the Vikings in 1967, Gene had “earned more medals... and championships,” Washington writes, “than I could ever conceive of acquiring.” Though his career on the field ended before she was born, Washington passionately reflects on how he changed the game—as a Black pioneer whose fight for players’ rights in the 1970s paved the way for future athletes to be compensated fairly—and his legacy informed her own mission “to bring stories of diversity forward” with her films, including the feature-length documentary that inspired this book. Readers will be enthralled and heartened by this unique look at the way sports can influence society.”
“Through the Banks of the Red Cedar” is a book and a movie, but mostly importantly it’s Maya Washington’s love letter to her dad and his impact on the world.”
THROUGH THE BANKS OF THE RED CEDAR
In 1963 Michigan State Head Coach Duffy Daugherty and 23 African American young men seized the opportunity of a lifetime. Maya Washington, the daughter of Minnesota Vikings football legend Gene Washington, deepens her connection to her father as she uncovers how the first fully integrated college football team in America changed the game forever.
Check local listings or request Through the Banks of the Red Cedar from your local PBS Station. Stream/Download on iTunes, and PBS Documentaries on Amazon Prime Video.
Available in bookstores, e-book/Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover and Paperback.
THROUGH THE BANKS OF THE RED CEDAR:
My Father AND THE TEAM THAT CHANGED THE GAME
Publisher’s Weekly: Starred Review
Amazon Editor’s Pick: Best History
Amazon Best Seller Kindle/E-Book: Football Biographies, History of Sports, and Biographies of Social Activists
A warm and invigorating memoir about a daughter’s love for her father and her appreciation for how he and others changed the game of football forever.
Gene Washington’s football career ended long before his daughter Maya was born. She never saw the legendary powerhouse as anything but her dad. She didn’t yet grasp the impact he’d had on the sport—and on America. To understand his historic role in the integration of college football, witness his influence on generations that followed, and fully appreciate his legacy, Maya had a lot of catching up to do.
Maya retraces her father’s journey from the segregated south to Michigan State during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement and his journey as an NFL pioneer after the 1967 draft. She reflects on how her father’s childhood—and the racism he faced—shaped her upbringing and influenced his expectations of her. She also discovers how unbreakable the emotional bond between teammates can be. But above all, Maya and her father get to know each other. As their own bond deepens, so does Maya’s connection to the sport that changed the trajectory of her father’s life…and hers.
Educational Resources
We’ve created curriculum, including a full Lesson Plan for high school and college students, and Discussion Guides tailored for the range of audiences excited about both the book and film, Through the Banks of the Red Cedar. Whether you’re part of a community group or an employee network, an educator with 4-12th grade students, a college student, or professor interested in exploring the themes of inclusion and racial cooperation, there’s a guide for your unique audience.
For a limited time, we’re offering the Discussion Guide resource to the community for free. As a bonus, we’re including author/filmmaker Maya Washington’s top interview questions to ask a family or community member who might have a pioneer story of their own that you’d like to document on film, audio, or through writing. It’s amazing what you can learn if you ask the right questions.
Get the Free Discussion Guide
Get the Lesson Plan
Engage your classroom with a full unit lesson plan for the documentary film and book, suitable for high school and college educators (and younger audiences with modification).
The ebook includes worksheets, activities, and a final project designed by professional educators with National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies, National Council of English Teachers (NCTE) and the International Reading Association (IRA) Standards for the English Language Arts in mind.
*After you add the Lesson Plan to your cart, go to the top right corner of the page to complete your purchase!
Workshop for Young Writers
Inspired by a True Story - Online Workshop
Do you have a favorite historical figure or a family member with a great story? Maybe you've experienced something extraordinary that you think would make a great film, play, or other work of nonfiction. Whether you need help getting started, or maybe you have so many ideas that you can’t wait to dive into the next great story you want to tell, we'll uncover some great stories inspired by your own life with a short writing exercise. By the end of this lesson, you’ll have the beginnings of a story based on something that actually happened. So let’s get your creativity flowing and think about how to take inspiration from your life and turn it into a story or essay, dramatic writing, or even poetry.
*Includes Facilitator notes and lesson plan for educators and parents for independent learning, or with classroom, group, or afterschool program. The course can be completed on your own time, at your own pace!
Online Course: $50.00
“When I asked my students what they would remember most from Maya’s visit,
they said... ‘She really seemed like she cared about us. She spoke to us like she had known us for a long time. She reminded us that we can do anything we put our minds to.’
”
Screenings & Author Talks
About the Author & Filmmaker
Maya Washington is an award-winning director, narrative and documentary filmmaker (writer/director/producer), celebrated writer, poet, actress, creative director, visualist (photography), and arts educator. Maya is dedicated to projects that have a sense of “purpose” in the world, selecting social impact stories that illuminate aspects of the human experience that are untold, rarely seen, or might benefit from new approaches to issues of diversity and inclusion. Maya is a sought after speaker, workshop facilitator, and panelist, who has delivered in-person keynotes, virtual talks, and panel presentations for international audiences.
“ By exploring the themes in the book and film, we’re advancing a positive and productive intergenerational conversation about how what happened sixty years ago still matters today. ”
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