The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc. recently announced the release of the book "Football and Integration in Plano, Texas: Stay in There, Wildcats."
"This book gives us the opportunity to tell the story of a pivotal time in history not only in the city of Plano, but during a time of great change for our country overall," said The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc. Co-Director Russell C. Kissick. "Through this book, our team was able to capture and record the stories of the many educators, coaches, community members and civic leaders who were instrumental in making integrated education a reality in Plano and beyond. The inspirational stories of these amazing people during a remarkable time in history are recorded here for many to enjoy."
The book was authored by Jeffrey Campbell of McKinney, Amy Sandling Crawford of Plano and Kirby Stokes of Allen for The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc. with a foreword by former Plano Senior High School Wildcat football player Billy Ray Smith who went on to play for the San Diego Chargers and an introduction by Robert Haynes, curator of Plano's Interurban Railway Museum and chief curator and director of Texas Curatorial Services of Dallas. The book was published by The History Press.
"Football and Integration in Plano, Texas: Stay in There, Wildcats" is available via www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and at select area retailers. The book is also available for purchase at the Interurban Railway Museum in historic downtown Plano.
Books will be available for purchase at this upcoming event:
Book signing: Friday, November 21, 2014 from 1 – 3 p.m.
Costco – 3800 North Central Expressway in Plano
From the publisher:
Football and Integration in Plano, Texas: Stay in There, Wildcats": The year 1964 was momentous for civil rights as Congress passed the Twenty-fourth Amendment and Texas’s own Lyndon B. Johnson unveiled his plan for the Great Society. That same year, the Plano school district integrated, setting an example for the state and nation. The tight-knit community banded together through a language fluent to everyone—football. The Wildcats had few winning seasons and no state titles at that time, but with hard work and a trailblazing spirit, coaches Tom Gray and John Clark led the integrated team all the way to state championship victory in 1965. The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc. presents the inspiring story of the Wildcat fight for the title that made Plano a better place to live.
The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc., is a Texas-based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting civic pride in the past, increasing preservation awareness through education and public outreach and providing financial assistance to protect and preserve our heritage resources for current and future generations. The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc., is especially focused on preserving the history and heritage of Plano, Texas.
Jeffrey C. Campbell is the co-director for the Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc. He has a degree in heritage resources with a concentration in historic preservation from Northwestern State University of Louisiana. He has worked on historic preservation projects in Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico. He is also a published folk poet and writes a column for Stephen F. Austin State University's Center for Regional Heritage Research. He lives in McKinney, Texas, with his wife.
Amy Sandling Crawford was raised in Plano, Texas. She graduated from Plano East Senior High School and has a degree in journalism with public relations emphasis from the University of North Texas. A widely published journalist and successful public relations specialist, Amy uses her talents to promote many non-profits, businesses and community groups in Plano and beyond. She lives in Plano with her husband, Ben, and their daughter, Elizabeth Grace.
Kirby Stokes is a student at the University of Texas at Dallas pursuing her graduate degree in history. She was raised in north Dallas and currently resides in Allen, Texas. She lives with her wonderful husband Alex Lindsey and their rambunctious dog Marley.
About the Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc.:
The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc., a Texas corporation 501 (c)(3) non-profit, is an organization dedicated to promote civic pride in the past, to increase preservation awareness through education and public outreach, and to provide financial assistance to protect and preserve our heritage resources for this and future generations. For more information, please visit www.planoconservancy.org or call 972-941-2117.