Collection Timeline

1923 to 1988

1923
Letter written October 5, 1923, by Jack Trice, football player and the first African American athlete at Iowa State, the night before playing his last football game against the University of Minnesota. Trice died on October 8 from injuries sustained in the game.
Letter written October 8, 1923, by Chester L. Brewer, Director of Athletics at the University of Missouri at Columbia, informing Samuel W. Beyer, a dean at Iowa State and the college's "godfather" of athletics, that he would not permit the racially integrated Iowa State team to play football at Missouri.
Letter from Samuel W. Beyer, a dean at Iowa State College and the school's so-called "godfather" of athletics, informing Chester L. Brewer, athletic director at the University of Missouri, of the death of Jack Trice, the first African American football player for Iowa State. Beyer acknowledges the racial segregation agreement among teams in several states and claims that Iowa State did not plan to have Trice play in the upcoming game against Missouri. Beyer also states that he has enclosed a copy of a letter, known as Trice's "last letter," written the night before the game that caused Trice's fatal injuries.
Trice with his football teammates in 1923.
Jack Trice in his football uniform, 1923.
Funeral services for Jack Trice were held on central campus, October 9, 1923.
The Iowa State football team, 1923. Jack Trice is pictured fourth from left, standing in the back row. The State Gymnasium can be seen in the background.
The Iowa State football team, 1923. Jack Trice is pictured third from left. State Gymnasium can be seen in the background.
Funeral services for Jack Trice were held on central campus, October 9, 1923.

1924
Jack Trice memorial tablet in State Gymnasium at Iowa State University, the beginning of which reads: "In memory of Jack Trice who died October 8, 1923, of injuries received in the Ames-Minnesota football game."

1929
Photograph of Jack Trice in winter.

1988
Letters from Cora Mae Trice Greene, Jack Trice's widow (later remarried to Horace Greene), to David Lendt, Director of Information at Iowa State University. In the first letter, Greene thanks Lendt for the information sent to her family regarding the dedication of memorials on campus to Jack Trice. She also shares her memories of the days surrounding Trice's death in 1923. In the second letter, Greene grants permission to place her letters and other documents pertaining to Trice in the archives of the Iowa State University Department of Special Collections.
Letter from David (Dave) Lendt, Director of Information at Iowa State, to Stan Yates, Head of Special Collections, accompanying a letter received from Cora Mae Trice Greene. Greene was the widow of Jack Trice, the first African American athlete at Iowa State, who died from injuries sustained in a 1923 football game. Greene's daughter, Betty Armstrong, visited campus with her husband, Herbert, in 1988 to view the Jack Trice memorial statue and campus, and the couple had shared photographs from their visit with Greene.
Detail of the Jack Trice memorial statue on Iowa State campus, featuring a hand holding Trice's "last letter." The statue was financed by students' fundraising efforts in 1988.
Jack Trice memorial statue on Iowa State campus, at the northeast entrance of Jack Trice Stadium. The statue was financed by students' fundraising efforts in 1988.
Detail of the Jack Trice memorial statue on Iowa State campus, featuring open books. The statue was financed by students' fundraising efforts in 1988.
Detail of the Jack Trice memorial statue on Iowa State campus, featuring football cleats. The statue was financed by students' fundraising efforts in 1988.