Bradenton Kiwanis Commemorated Black History by Presenting The Documentary: Through The Tunnel

By Xtavia Bailey

Bradenton Kiwanis commemorated Black History by presenting the documentary Through The Tunnel, which recounts the journey of Lincoln Memorial High School’s football team, the Trojans, as they make their way through the tunnel to the field. Black history is unfolding daily, and our shared heritage cannot be expunged as it constitutes the bedrock of our collective strength. We salute those who paved the way, knocked down walls, and never took no for an answer.

Our black is beautiful. Narrated by Moody Johnson and Mrs. Johnson, the documentary features Henry Lawrence, one of Coach Eddie Shannon’s players and a former NFL offensive tackle who played for the Oakland/ Los Angeles Raiders for 13 seasons. He is a two-time Pro Bowler and won three Super Bowls. Ray Bellamy, the first African American football athlete to attend the University of Miami, was inducted into the Florida High School Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. Coach Eddie Shannon assisted in the balance of the transition as students were made to play at Manatee High School. The end of segregation in 1964, led by the Civil Rights Act, Changed the life of Eddie Shannon the head football coach at Lincoln Memorial High, an all-Black school in Palmetto. He was a legendary football coach and peacekeeper between his players and the new world they were entering. Shannon was a 1996 Summer Olympics torchbearer. His staple in the community is celebrated; words cannot explain his impact as he celebrated his 104th birthday.