150 Cleveland Metropolitan School District students meet with Browns alumni in black history event

CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Browns called on their alumni to host a panel discussion on the positive effects of football on racial equality.

The panel included Walter Beach DB 1963-1966, Reggie Rucker WR 1975-1981, Dick Schafrath G-T 1959-1971, Sam Tidmore LB 1962-1963 , John Wooten G 1959-1967 and was moderated by Steve Perry of the Football Hall of Fame.

In a Black History Month event, 150 Cleveland high school students joined the players at Browns Stadium, with other students from Maine, New York, New Jersey, Ohio and Alabama tuning in online to listen to the personal reflections of these football greats.

What they received was not only a perspective on race during that time, but life lessons that will continue to be important through their entire lives.

Former Brown Reggie Rucker said, "This is a walk down history lane, it's about rising above adversity."

The words of these men who struggled through the years were not lost on the students.

Jasper Allen, from John Adams High School, said, "They told me about their life story, you learned about what they went through. They're trying to give you a message to better your life."