At the 1920 Summer Olympic Games, Dubuque German College (now the University of Dubuque) alum Solomon Butler competed in broad jump as one of three African Americans to qualify for the U.S. team.
A man of many talents, his life is chronicled in the new book, Sol Butler: An Olympian’s Odyssey through Jim Crow America, written by University of Dubuque professor Brian Hallstoos.
Hallstoos joins to talk about Butler’s upbringing as the son of a former slave and Union soldier, a multi-sport athlete, actor, coach and entrepreneur. The book explores how Butler stayed active in sports well into adulthood and how he used his platform to mentor young athletes, advocate for women’s basketball and communicate across racial lines at a time when that skill was essential. Hallstoos is having an author talk on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the African American Museum of Iowa in Cedar Rapids, as well as a book signing and talk on Saturday, Feb. 28 from 1-3 p.m. at the Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success in Cedar Rapids…