Don Barksdale

Donald Argee Barksdale

(March 31, 1923 – March 8, 1993)

He was a trailblazing American professional basketball player whose legacy extends far beyond the basketball court. He achieved several historic firsts and made significant contributions to civil rights and broadcasting. Here’s a reformatted summary of his life, achievements, and legacy:

Early Life:

  • Born in Oakland, California, to Argee Barksdale and Desoree Barksdale, Don faced discrimination early in life.
  • Despite being cut from his high school basketball team for three years due to racial prejudices, he persevered.

College and Early Career:

  • Barksdale honed his basketball skills in local parks and eventually earned a scholarship to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
  • At UCLA, he became the first African American to be named a consensus All-American.

Olympic Triumph:

  • In 1948, Barksdale became the first African American to join the U.S. Olympic basketball team.
  • He played a pivotal role in the team’s gold medal victory at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.

Professional Career:

  • Barksdale initially played for the Oakland AAU team before joining the NBA.
  • He signed with the Baltimore Bullets in 1951, becoming one of the first African Americans to play in the NBA.
  • Barksdale was the first African American to participate in an NBA All-Star Game while playing for the Bullets in 1953.

Broadcasting and Entrepreneurship:

  • Concurrent with his basketball career, Barksdale ventured into radio broadcasting and became the first black radio disc jockey in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1948.
  • He later worked in television and became the first African-American television host in the Bay Area with his show, “Sepia Review,” on KRON-TV.
  • Barksdale also owned a beer distributorship and achieved the distinction of being the first African-American beer distributor.

Later Years and Philanthropy:

  • After retiring from basketball, he returned to radio, established a recording label, and opened two nightclubs in Oakland.
  • In 1983, Barksdale launched the Save High School Sports Foundation, which played a vital role in rescuing Oakland school athletic programs from potential collapse.

Passing and Legacy:

  • Don Barksdale passed away at the age of 69 due to throat cancer on March 8, 1993, in Oakland, California.
  • His legacy endures through a documentary about his life titled “Bounce: The Don Barksdale Story,” produced by Athletes United for Peace.
  • Barksdale was posthumously inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in 2007 for his broadcasting contributions.
  • In 2012, he was announced as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s induction class and recognized as a contributor to the game.
  • The character D’Angelo Barksdale from the HBO series “The Wire” was named in tribute to Don Barksdale.

Don Barksdale’s life and achievements stand as a testament to his groundbreaking contributions in sports, broadcasting, and civil rights, leaving an indelible mark on American history.