wrestlingscout's video: Black History in Pro Wrestling 2 - The Game

This Black History Month, I chose to produce a series of videos highlighting black pro-wrestlers of note. This production recognizes not only the black stars of pro-wrestling in the United States, but internationally as well. Black wrestlers from the United States are not the exclusive focus of this video as it seems appropriate to include the work of those from other countries including Canada, Britain, Japan and the Caribbean. The decision to include biracial stars was important as they experienced challenges based on their race. The Game (1970s) Music is “Take That Back” by Silent Partner (CC BY 4.0) By the late 1960s, the Black Power movement was gaining momentum and the 1970s saw an explosion of black influence on the arts and entertainment as well as sports. While racial tension did not subside entirely, the times were clearly changing. In pro-wrestling, there were a number of black wrestlers who became top stars as both babyfaces and heels. In Britain, where the population of blacks (many from Africa and the Caribbean) were less, the struggles were still present. In pro-wrestling, blacks found opportunities, but they were always pigeon-holed as being from a foreign country (even if they had never been there!). Whether black wrestlers were revolutionizing the pro-wrestling promo or getting it done in the ring, they were changing the dynamics of the game. Thunderbolt Patterson*, Patterson vs. King Curtis & Bruiser Brody; Tiger Conway Jr.* with Johnny Valentine; Tiger headbutts Gene Anderson and hot-tags Rocky Johnson; Tom “Boogaloo” Shaft*; Tony Atlas & Hulk Hogan confrontation; Ernie Ladd*; Ladd cheap shots Tom Jones; Ladd roughs up Chief Jay Strongbow; Sonny King KOs Buzz Sawyer; Bearcat Wright*; Andre the Giant vs. Bobo Brazil*; Jackie Pallo headbutts Johnny Kwango; Linde Caulder’s rolling escape; Ironist Clive Myers; Caswell Martin vs. Butcher Bond; Masambula escapes Vic Faulkner; Masambula in his signature garb; more Masa vs. Faulkner; Prince Kumali; Kendo Nagasaki avoids a Kumali headbutt; Cas Martin; Johnny Kincaid* and Dave Bond; the Caribbean Sunshine Boys play dirty with Kung Fu; Honeyboy Zimba; Myers puts down Fit Finlay