The hour was early. The sun was had just peaked above the horizon. The young football players, both black and white, ran behind their coach, unaware of where they were headed. As they arrived at a cemetery, fog lingered above the headstones. Why were they here?
The coach broke the silence:
"Anybody know what place this is? This is Gettysburg. This is where they fought the Battle of Gettysburg. Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fightin' the same fight that we're still fightin' amongst ourselves today.
This green field right here was painted red, bubblin' with the blood of young boys, smoke and hot lead pourin' right through their bodies. Listen to their souls, men: 'I killed my brother with malice in my heart. Hatred destroyed my family.'
You listen. And you take a lesson from the dead. If we don't come together right now, on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed -- just like they were. I don't care if you like each other or not. But you will respect each other. And maybe -- I don't know -- maybe we'll learn to play this game like men."(http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechrememberthetitans.html)
The football players, led by Coach Herman Boone, attended T. C. Williams High, a newly integrated Virginia school. Despite their differences, the football team went on to win a state title. The football team served as a uniting force for the school. Their story is portrayed in the movie Remember the Titans, starring Denzel Washington.
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