The Great Black Hope: Doug Williams, Vince Evans, and the Making of the Black Quarterback

The story of two pioneering Black NFL football players that changed the face of America’s game for generations to come.

There is no position in pro sports more important than an NFL quarterback. But quarterbacking was the exclusive domain of white players for many years, and when Doug Williams and Vince Evans arrived in the league in the late 1970s, they got death threats, faced racist questions, and knew that a single mistake could end their careers. The Great Black Hope tells the twin stories of Vince Evans, an electrifying dual-threat quarterback ahead of his time, and of Doug Williams, the first Black quarterback to become a champion. Moore shows how easily Williams’ triumphant story could have gone wrong and how his success changed the game and the country.

A skillful blend of game-time drama and social commentary, this book captures unheralded heroes of the NFL and all that they meant, both on the field and off.

Louis Moore is a historian of African American history and sports history. He has appeared in media outlets including USA Today, Sports Illustrated, New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Time, NPR, CNN, Huffington Post, Deadspin, and Rolling Stone. His research was cited in Brian Flores’ landmark lawsuit accusing the NFL of racial discrimination, and he has appeared live on CNN, MSNBC, BBC Sports, and Canadian Television to discuss issues involving the Black athlete. He also appeared in Vice Sports’ documentary ＂The Fear of the Black Quarterback.＂

He has written two audible lecture series for the Great Courses/Wondrium. African American Athletes Who Made Historyand A Pastime of their Own: The Story of Negro League Baseball. Finally, he has published two academic books: I Fight for a Living: Boxing and the Battle for Black Manhood, 1880-1915, and We Will Win the Day: The Civil Rights Movement, the Black Athlete, and the Quest for Equality.