How inaugural ‘No Room For Racism’ event in Rock Hill aims to go beyond basketball
Frank Martin and Leonard Hamilton were surprised.
The two men’s head college basketball coaches — Martin of the SEC’s South Carolina, Hamilton of the ACC’s Florida State — have been trailblazers for coaches of color throughout their careers. They’ve done so not only because of their success and longevity, but also by elevating important issues beyond basketball.
So when they recently learned of some significant civil rights history in Rock Hill, they almost couldn’t believe it.
“I’ve lived in the state for 10 years,” Martin told reporters at a press conference earlier this week. “If it’s not because of this event, I never find out about the Friendship Nine.”
The Friendship Nine refers to the nine students from Friendship Junior College in Rock Hill who helped spark a civil rights movement against segregation in South Carolina and across America. The students sat at an all-white, segregated lunch counter in 1961 and then spent a month in the York County jail after being convicted of trespassing — doing so to bring attention to and open a path toward racial justice in their city.
“(Without this event), I don’t find out about the impact that those guys — all nine, but eight of them basketball players — made in that community,” Martin said. “That stance that they took to do what’s right.”
USC and Florida State will face off Sunday under an ESPN spotlight in the finale of the No Room For Racism Classic. The college basketball showcase, announced in September, will make history this weekend as the first major college basketball event hosted in the Rock Hill sports and event center.
The event will feature several South Carolina college basketball teams, including Winthrop, S.C. State, Clinton College and USC.
It’ll put on display a state-of-the-art facility, one that opened for public use in 2020 with the promise of delivering robust economic impact.
But importantly, too, it’ll attempt to “provide long-standing educational value to the public,” per an event release, about the city of Rock Hill’s rich and mixed civil rights history — a history that isn’t yet adequately valued or accessible, Hamilton said.
“I went to school, I read the books, but I never knew about the Friendship Nine until after I decided to come to this tournament,” said Hamilton, the fifth-winningest men’s basketball coach in ACC history and a native of Gastonia, North Carolina. He added, “That’s not part of the history that people think is important.”
The “No Room For Racism” name was coined by Doug Echols, who was the Rock Hill mayor from 1998-2017. The phrase is even painted on a prominent street in downtown Rock Hill.
That mural reminds the city of the Friendship Nine and the group’s powerful and nation-changing protest in 1961. It also serves as a reminder of an uglier instance that occurred that same year, when late U.S. Rep. John Lewis was beaten nearly to death as a member of the “Freedom Riders.” (Lewis forgave one of the men who beat him up in a magnanimous show of grace in 2009.)
And this weekend’s showcase, beyond just showcasing good basketball, is meant to bring attention to all of that.
“He and I, we get 10 minutes, and we express what we think and people quote our opinions, and then everyone moves on,” Martin said as he motioned to Hamilton, who he considers a mentor. “But we need to understand these sacrifices, these moments in history, to keep people humble and respectful of the journey.”
No Room For Racism Classic schedule
Friday at 7 p.m.: South Carolina State vs. High Point
Saturday at 4 p.m.: Clinton College vs. Edward Waters
Saturday at 7 p.m.: Winthrop vs. Carver College
Sunday at 12 p.m.: South Carolina vs. Florida State (watch on ESPN2)
You can purchase individual game tickets at https://noroomforracismclassic.com.
Editor’s note: A previous version of the article incorrectly listed the tournament’s schedule. Clinton College plays at 4 p.m. Saturday, not Sunday.
This story was originally published December 10, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
.jpeg)