ESPN Radio host Freddie Coleman honors Black History Month by reading to local children
(Leanne Cozart/ESPN)
ESPN Radio’s Freddie Coleman celebrated Black History Month at the Imagine Nation Children’s Museum in Bristol, Conn. recently by bringing a book to life. Using his natural performing talents, he entertained dozens of children with his reading of Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra.
Coleman’s time spent reading with the children is just one of several Black History Month Readings that Team ESPN organizes throughout February. Coleman – who hosts his ESPN Radio show from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET weekdays and also is among the featured debaters on First Take this week – shared his perspective on Black History Month.
Why is it important to share time reading and celebrating this month with the younger generation?
I think we have to let our young people know exactly why reading is so important and so fundamental. It’s up to us as an older generation to lead our younger generation and let them know about Duke Ellington, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Martin Luther King Jr., and people like that. We have to let people know that you have a chance to do something now because other people laid the path to make sure these things could happen. There wouldn’t be a Michael Jackson without a Duke Ellington.
Who inspired or inspires you?
That list is long. I could write a book on so many different people, whether it’s Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball, or even [SportsCenter anchor and NBA Countdown host Sage Steele’s dad, the first African-American to play football at West Point. My uncle Douglas was the third African-American who played football at West Point. We have those kinds of pioneers like Benjamin Banneker, George Washington Carver, Harriet Tubman, and so many other wonderful people that have done so many great things. They weren’t interested in credit, they weren’t interested in ego, but instead all they wanted was to make things better for everybody, to make things equal for everybody.
What does Black History Month mean to you?
Oh my goodness, I mean when you get a chance to celebrate our people who have done so many great things traditionally, it doesn’t matter whether it’s been in sports, entertainment, or politics. It’s a chance for African-Americans to say we have a history to be proud of. We have a heritage that we should be proud of and we have to let people know exactly what that heritage means. Not just African Americans, but all Americans.
