Interview with Lyman T. Johnson, January 5, 1995

Interview Summary

Johnson discusses William Lee Kean, head coach at Central High School in Louisville, Kentucky before his death, and the state championships that he won for the school in football and basketball when segregation was in full swing. He also talks about how Central High School handled the limited amount of black high school teams that would play against them and how they planned an away game with limited funds. Also, Johnson discusses Kean's retirement from Central High School because of severe health concerns that later led to his death, and his predecessors that struggled to live up to his great name. He notes some memorable athletes, coaches, and officials, as well as how integration initiated recruitment that took valuable African American players away from formerly solely African American schools, but how Central High School's superintendent would not allow the coaches there to retaliate by recruiting white players.

Interview Keyword

Central High School Basketball Football William Lee Kean State championships

Interview LC Subject

African American athletes African American coaches (Athletics) Sports Segregation Louisville (Ky.)

Interview Rights

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.