MEMPHIS, Tenn — Memphis 901 FC decided not to travel and play their match against North Carolina but instead have a dialogue about race relations in America.
Over the last several days, many professional sports teams across the country have either postponed or canceled their games to raise awareness about racial injustice and police brutality in America. Memphis 901 FC joined that trend Saturday when they postponed their game against North Carolina.
Tim Howard, the team’s goalkeeper, is known for making some of the best saves in the game. But on Saturday, he said the focus is saving lives.
There’s never a wrong time to do the right thing,” Howard said. “We all have this false sense of security that there were protests after George Floyd’s death, and we think there are changes. But we wake up. A couple of months later and Jacob Blake has been shot seven times. We realize this won’t end quietly, so we need to be loud with our voices and with our protests.”
The team gathered at AutoZone Park and made their way to the ‘I Am a Man,’ Memphis mural. As they marched, they joined other supporters who were there to speak out against racial injustice too. One of those people is Joseph Cox. He is a Memphis native who said racial injustice is just one of the many problems. He said he is hoping others will work to become part of the solution.
“We can change laws, and we can change locations,” Cox said. “But if we don’t change our hearts, it’s useless.”
As the team, along with supporters, marched to the ‘I Am a Man,’ Memphis mural, at times they stood in silence reflecting on what the mural stands for. It was more than a half-century ago, when Martin Luther King Jr., led the sanitation workers’ strike. Now, similar calls of equality are still being demanded, and the injustices are being seen around the world, as cameras and videos are readily available because of smartphones.
Keanu Marsh-Brown, of Memphis 901 FC, said it is surreal and hurtful seeing videos like the one of Jacob Blake, a Black man from Wisconsin who was shot seven times in the back.
“I am hurt,” Marsh-Brown said. “When I see the videos, I just think it could be my brother, or it could be my cousin or my dad.”
The player-led movement eventually made its way to the National Civil Rights Museum. Coach Tim Mulqueen said he is proud to be with this team, as they are using their platform for progression.
“These are hard conversations that need to happen,” Mulqueen said. “So, I’m proud our players have chosen to speak out, and I’m glad they are not sticking to just playing soccer. And I’m glad, they have a united voice.
At this time, there is no new date set for the makeup match.
