"In the nation's capital, music and sports have always played a central role in the lives of African Americans and have often served as a barometer for social conflict and social progress. Sports clubs and ball games, jam sessions and concerts, have served to entertain and to enlighten; to encourage, and to at times offer a means of escape from the harsh realities of everyday life. Along the way many Black people have used their skills and their determination to learn and develop their crafts in music and sports to earn meaningful careers by using their creative genius to improve their lot, to cope with day to day racism, to be a credit to their communities, and to bring joy to those who watched them perform their craft. In this book Maurice Jackson tells the story of these musicians and athletes. He begins with pioneers such as Will Marion Cook, who formed the first musicians' union in the city and fought as a member of the Harlem Hellfighters in World War I. Jackson takes the story down to giants of the twentieth century like John Thompson, Jr. After winning the NCAA basketball championship as coach of the Georgetown Hoyas, Thompson said, "I'm not interested in being the first or only black coach to do anything, because that implies that I'm also the first with the ability." Jackson shows that Thompson stands in a long line of Black athletes and musicians who found in sports and music spaces to combat racial prejudice and bring people in the District together"--