The History of Blacks in the NHL

Summary

The documentary 'Soul on Ice' explores the underrepresented history of Black athletes in ice hockey, highlighting their struggles and achievements. It features stories from the past, such as the Maritime Colored Hockey League, established by Black Nova Scotians in the late 1800s, to present-day players like Jaylen Lindo, striving for a spot in the NHL. The film delves into the challenges faced by Black players, including racism and the lack of representation, while also showcasing their passion and contributions to the sport.

Takeaways

• 🎬 The documentary 'Soul on Ice' explores the history and future of black athletes in ice hockey.
• 🏒 The film is being showcased at the Roxberry International Film Festival, indicating its cultural and artistic significance.
• 📽 A clip from the documentary suggests a lack of ice rinks in certain communities, limiting access to the sport for young children.
• 🤔 The director, Kwame Mason, was inspired to make the film due to a personal disconnect feeling from the predominantly white sport of hockey.
• 🏅 The Maritime Colored Hockey League, active from 1895 to 1930, was the first organized sports league for black athletes in North America.
• 👀 The documentary features present-day and future hockey players, including Jaylen Lindo, illustrating the ongoing journey and aspirations of black athletes.
• 🏆 The film reveals that the Maritime Colored Hockey League may have innovated playing styles, such as the butterfly style of goaltending.
• 📚 The history of black athletes in hockey has been largely overlooked or forgotten, which the documentary aims to correct.
• 😢 The emotional recounting of Herb Carnegie's story, a talented player denied a chance in the NHL, highlights the racial barriers of the past.
• 🤷‍♂️ The debate over whether Carnegie should have taken minor league offers to break the color barrier is still relevant today.
• 🌟 Despite past and present racial incidents, there is a sense of progress in making hockey more inclusive for all players.

Q & A

What is the documentary 'Soul on Ice' about?

The documentary 'Soul on Ice' explores the past, present, and future of black athletes in ice hockey, highlighting their experiences, challenges, and contributions to the sport.

Why did Kwame Mason decide to make 'Soul on Ice'?

Kwame Mason made 'Soul on Ice' because he felt a disconnect growing up in Canada not seeing many black athletes in hockey, and he wanted to share the rich history and stories of black players in the sport that he discovered during his research.

What is the significance of the Maritime Colored Hockey League mentioned in the documentary?

The Maritime Colored Hockey League, active from approximately 1895 to 1930, was the first organized sports league for blacks in North America. It was innovative, possibly inventing the slap shot and pioneering the butterfly style of goaltending.

Who was Herb Carnegie and why is he significant in the history of black athletes in hockey?

Herb Carnegie was considered one of the best players of his time but never got the chance to play in the NHL, possibly due to racism. He created the first hockey school in North America and was a mentor to Jean Bello, who played for the Boston Bruins.

What was the reaction to Herb Carnegie's decision not to take offers from the New York Rangers to play in the minor leagues?

There is debate over why Herb Carnegie didn't take the offers, with some suggesting he felt undermined by being asked to play in the minor leagues when he was already successful and others comparing it to Jackie Robinson's situation, where he had to prove he could handle abuse in the minor leagues.

What was the experience of Val James, a black hockey player, like when he faced racism during his career?

Val James encountered nasty racism, including racial slurs and being taunted by fans. The documentary includes footage from a 1981 CBS feature where people interviewed were proud of their racist behavior towards him.

How does Kwame Mason reflect on his own experiences with racism in hockey?

Kwame Mason recalls a childhood incident where a kid told him he couldn't be his favorite player, Gila Flur, because Flur was white, highlighting the lack of role models for black children in the sport.

What has changed in terms of inclusivity in hockey according to the documentary?

The documentary suggests that while there are still issues, the NHL and minor leagues have made efforts to make hockey more inclusive, with kids today looking at themselves as part of a big group and having role models that are more diverse.

What is the role of Jaylen Lindo in the documentary 'Soul on Ice'?

Jaylen Lindo is portrayed as a minor league hockey player hoping to get drafted into the NHL, serving as a contemporary example of a black athlete striving for success in the sport.

How does the documentary address the historical erasure of black contributions to hockey?

The documentary addresses historical erasure by highlighting the achievements and innovations of black players and leagues that have been overlooked or forgotten, such as the Maritime Colored Hockey League.

What is the significance of the documentary being shown at the Roxberry International Film Festival?

Showing 'Soul on Ice' at the Roxberry International Film Festival signifies the recognition and importance of telling underrepresented stories in sports, particularly the contributions of black athletes in ice hockey.

Outlines

00:00

🏒 'Soul on Ice': The Journey of Black Athletes in Hockey

The documentary 'Soul on Ice' is showcased at the Roxberry International Film Festival, exploring the history and presence of black athletes in ice hockey. The film features a clip discussing the excitement of the game and the lack of access to ice rinks in certain communities, leading to a limited number of black players. It highlights the cultural differences and the barriers that have historically prevented black athletes from participating in the sport. The director, Kwame Mason, shares his personal connection to the sport and the motivation behind creating the documentary. The film also delves into the Maritime Colored Hockey League, established in the late 1800s by black settlers in Nova Scotia, which was the first organized sports league for black people in North America. It discusses the innovative playing styles that originated there, such as the butterfly style of goaltending. The documentary aims to rewrite history by acknowledging the contributions of black athletes to the sport of hockey.

05:01

😢 Overcoming Racism in Hockey: The Struggles and Triumphs

The second paragraph of the script focuses on the personal stories of black hockey players, including the emotional recounting of history by Herb Carnegie, who was a mentor to Jean Bello of the Montreal Canadians. Carnegie, despite his talent, never played in the NHL, possibly due to racism. The paragraph also touches on the debate surrounding his decision not to accept offers from the New York Rangers' minor league team. The discussion continues with a look at the racism faced by Val James, as depicted in a 1981 CBS feature, where he endured racial slurs and derogatory treatment. The conversation shifts to the present, with the director reflecting on his own experiences and the current state of inclusivity in hockey. While progress has been made, with organizations like the NHL and minor leagues working to create a more inclusive environment, challenges remain as racial incidents still occur. The conversation concludes with Kwame Mason expressing hope for continued progress and a more inclusive future for the sport.

Keywords

💡Soul on Ice

Soul on Ice is the title of the documentary being discussed in the script. It explores the history and current state of black athletes in ice hockey. The documentary is significant as it sheds light on a largely overlooked aspect of sports history, highlighting the contributions and struggles of black players in a predominantly white sport. The title itself suggests a deep connection and passion for the sport that transcends racial barriers.

💡Roxberry International Film Festival

The Roxberry International Film Festival is the event where the documentary 'Soul on Ice' is being showcased. It is an opportunity for the film to reach a wider audience and engage in discussions about the themes presented in the documentary, such as racial diversity in sports and the historical exclusion of black athletes from ice hockey.

💡Hockey Culture

Hockey culture is a recurring theme in the script, referring to the traditions, practices, and social norms associated with the sport of ice hockey. The script discusses how hockey is deeply ingrained in Canadian society, yet it has not traditionally been inclusive of black athletes or their communities, leading to a sense of disconnect for those who do not see themselves represented in the sport.

💡Barriers

Barriers in the script refer to the obstacles that black athletes have faced in participating in and advancing in ice hockey. These include racial discrimination, lack of representation, and cultural exclusion. The documentary explores how these barriers have been challenged and, in some cases, broken down by pioneering black athletes.

💡Maritime Colored Hockey League

The Maritime Colored Hockey League is a historical league mentioned in the script, established in the late 1800s by black settlers in Nova Scotia. It was the first organized sports league for black people in North America and a significant part of the history that the documentary aims to bring to light. The league was a response to racial segregation in sports and a testament to the resilience and innovation of its players.

💡Herb Carnegie

Herb Carnegie is a figure highlighted in the script as one of the most talented players of his time who was denied the opportunity to play in the NHL, likely due to racial discrimination. Carnegie is noted for establishing the first hockey school in North America, influencing other players and contributing to the sport despite the systemic barriers he faced.

💡Butterfly Style of Goaltending

The butterfly style of goaltending is a technique in ice hockey where the goaltender drops to the ice to cover a larger area of the goal. The script suggests that this style may have originated in the Maritime Colored Hockey League, indicating the league's influence on the sport's evolution and the innovative spirit of its players.

💡Inclusivity

Inclusivity in the context of the script refers to the efforts to ensure that ice hockey is a welcoming and accessible sport for all, regardless of race. The documentary 'Soul on Ice' discusses the progress made towards inclusivity and the ongoing challenges faced by black athletes in a sport that has historically been dominated by white players.

💡Role Models

Role models in the script are individuals who serve as examples and inspirations for others, particularly for young black athletes looking to break into the world of ice hockey. The documentary emphasizes the importance of representation and having visible figures who can inspire and guide the next generation of players.

💡Racism

Racism is a significant theme in the script, as it discusses the experiences of black athletes who have faced racial discrimination and prejudice in the sport of ice hockey. The documentary 'Soul on Ice' delves into the historical and contemporary manifestations of racism, showing how it has impacted the lives and careers of black players.

💡Val James

Val James is a former professional ice hockey player whose experiences with racism are discussed in the script. A segment from a 1981 CBS feature highlights the racial slurs and derogatory treatment he received during his career. James' story is a stark example of the challenges that black athletes have faced and continue to confront in the sport.

Highlights

The documentary 'Soul on Ice' explores the history and present of black athletes in ice hockey.

The film is being showcased at the Roxberry International Film Festival.

The documentary features Jaylen Lindo, a minor league player aiming for the NHL.

The Maritime Colored Hockey League, established in the late 1800s, was the first organized sports league for blacks in North America.

The league was created by black settlers from Nova Scotia as a response to racial segregation in sports.

Innovations like the butterfly style of goaltending originated in the Maritime Colored Hockey League.

Herb Carnegie, a black player, was one of the best of his time but never played in the NHL due to racism.

Carnegie's story is a poignant example of missed opportunities in the NHL.

The film discusses the challenges faced by black players, including racial slurs and exclusion.

Val James, the first black player in the NHL, faced significant racism during his career.

The documentary includes interviews with historians and players, providing a rich historical context.

The film highlights the importance of representation and role models in sports for black youth.

Kwame Mason, the director, shares his personal connection to the sport and the motivation behind making the film.

The documentary aims to rewrite history by acknowledging the contributions of black athletes in ice hockey.

The film shows the evolution of attitudes towards race in hockey, from past to present.

Despite progress, racism still exists in hockey, as shared by personal anecdotes in the documentary.

The documentary ends on a hopeful note, emphasizing the potential for a more inclusive future in hockey.

Transcripts

the past present and future of black

athletes in ice hockey that's the

subject of an award-winning documentary

being shown at the Roxberry

International Film Festival which kicks

off today it's called soul on Ice here's

a clip the game is exciting but in the

hood growing up there's no ice rinks you

don't really get to

play if kids in in grade school had ice

hockey as part of their gym you don't

think we'd have some phenoms by the time

they get to high school you kidding me

is not really part of our culture like

basketball and football are but it's

exciting from what I've

seen I've been hearing things like this

my whole life about the game I fell in

love with at a young

age as a Canadian it's what we're known

for but I'm Canadian so why did I feel

like it wasn't for me was it because I

didn't see me or was it because I didn't

hear about me today it's a lot different

it almost seems like they came out in

nowhere but you know there's always the

first those who broke down the barriers

those who persevered through adversity

and those who played the game cuz it's

in their soul joining me now is the

director of Soul on Ice Kwame Mason

Kwame thanks for coming in thank you for

having me so I I got to confess to you

I'm only about halfway through the film

but it's fascinating and I want to ask

you about How It Ends but I'm going to

go watch it tonight instead spoilers why

did you make this fil you know um I grew

up in Toronto and in Canada um it's a

hockey world out there I always tell

people you know when you're born in

Canada the first thing they do is give

you a stick and I Lov the game and I

felt a disconnect for a lot of years

growing up um not seeing a lot of black

athletes in the game of hockey and then

when you know I got older I was a radio

announcer for 13 years and I wanted to

transition and I always wanted to do

film and I wanted to do something that I

was very passionate about which was

hockey and at that time I also thought

again like there's still not a lot of

black athletes out there but in doing

some research I found a long-standing

history and so I thought well if this is

stuff that I don't know how many people

don't know I got to ask you about that

history because you go back and forth

between uh present day or maybe the

future of hockey people like this uh

this incredibly appealing protagonist

Jaylen Lindo who's a minor league hockey

player hoping to get drafted in the NHL

but you bounce back and forth between

him and other uh young people and this

deep which in some cases is totally

forgotten so along those lines what was

the maritime colored Hockey League okay

so back in the 1800s about approximately

1895 to about 1930 the blacks that

settled into Nova Scotia these are um uh

gener a generation passed from Those Who

Came From The Underground Railroad that

settled into to Nova Scotia they wanted

to participate in what everybody was

doing in the community which was hockey

but because racial uh there was still

that racial divide there they figured

well okay if we can't play with the

white players well let's start up our

own league so that's exactly what they

did so the different regions they

started up their own teams they went to

the churches they got the young men

together and they started up these

Hockey League this Hockey League that

became actually the first organized

Sports league for blacks in all of North

America before baseball basketball or

football it was Innovative league right

The Slap Shot may have been invented

there and also goalies could play in a

different way there and the NHL ended up

following how could what could goalies

do in time okay so um back then um for a

very long time a lot of the goalies

stood up and if you watch old film

you'll see them standing up but in Mar

times they allow their goal tenders to

go and flop on the ice which is now

considered the gold uh the butterfly

style of gold tending what everone does

right I mean it's how you play G that's

it I was blown away when you recounted

this history and you had a historian I

can't remember if it was white or a

black historian but it doesn't really

matter they they said that when they

talked to some people about photos from

this league they were told it was a

Vaudeville act even people who are

supposed to know history had forgotten

it or we're never aware of it I think

sometimes it's hard because you're going

to have to rewrite a little bit of

history now okay so all these um big

hockey historians that have talked about

hockey from the beginning of time never

included the contributions of black

athletes so now when someone says that

oh I'm sorry what about this they have

to kind of deflect that it's funny cuz

here in the US I mean people who know

baseball know all about the Negro

Leagues yeah you know as problematic as

they were the separation of black and

white you're aware of it as a seminal

part of the game exactly U who was herb

Carnegie oh man herb Carnegie was

considered one of the best players of

his time never to get the chance to play

in the NHL and some say that was because

of racism now herb Carnegie was a man

who actually created the first hockey

School in in in all of uh North America

um you know Jean Bello who played for

the story Montreal Canadians I'm sorry

Boston but he uh he was he considered

herb Carnegie his mentor so this was a

man that should have been the first

black athlete to play in the NHL but

that went to willly O re there's a

really poignant shot in the film where

you and I got to say you you're you're

not in the film some documentarians put

themselves in the film too much you're

kind of in just the right amount um

there's a shot where you I think have

your arm around her and he's tearing up

he's crying as he recounts this history

which is really powerful to see he got

three offers from the New York Rangers

right to go play for their minor league

team it was it Connecticut somewhere yes

yes why didn't he take those offers well

you know that that's that will always be

debated I think you know from his point

of view um here he is um he was nearing

his 30s so his career would be um you

know ending soon he's already famous

he's already famous he's already getting

paid a lot of money playing um in the

the the the Quebec league and so now he

felt like they were undermining him and

undermining his skill because he's

looking at it like this I'm just as good

as those guys why would you want to do

this to me but on the other side some

say it's just like the Jackie Robinson

way of you want them to prove that they

can handle the abuse in a minor league

and there was I can't remember his name

but a black hockey historian who is

still palpably frustrated that uh that

um that herb Carnegie didn't take these

offers wish wish he done it well you

know you never know what the outcome of

it would have been uh I I would love to

talk to you for 30 more minutes I think

we got about one uh you show part of a

1981 CBS feature on a guy named Val

James encountering really nasty racism

as he plays hockey let's take a look at

at some of that

footage the chant of spook spook just

one epithet from a poison garden of

racial SL

flung at Val James when he plays hockey

in Salem Virginia they actually

interviewed people that were actually

doing this and these people were proud

of themselves they have the one guy

standing there holding a watermelon and

he's just as proud as punch ah I

couldn't think of anything else he more

like yeah um I know when you were a

young man playing hockey did you run

into anything that

nasty you know when I played on the

streets with my friends the one thing

that always stood out to me was my

favorite player was Gila Flur and you

know anybody that plays hockey on the

street you you you pick the favorite

player you are and I remember this one

kid said to me you can't be Gila Flur

because Gila Flur is white and that

always stuck to me and it it it put me

in that sense of well who can I be who

is my role models and it's it's a shame

but I think the the the lesson here is

you just have to look and you'll find

that role model somewhere so my question

for you do you think that that sort of

mindset still applies today or do you

have black kids pretending that they're

Sydney Crosby and white kids pretending

they're PK suban I think we're in a

different time I think we're we have the

advantage where these kids nowadays look

at themselves as in a big group and I

think you know they'll still have

problems I still have parents telling me

that they have situations of their kids

getting called the nword or whatever

have you be in in the hockey rings but

for the most part the NHL a lot of the

minor leagues have cramped cramped down

and they have given this place uh this

game of hockey and atmosphere for

everybody to make it inclusive kwami

Mason thank you can't wait to see the

enjoy it enjoy it thank you