Jim Brown, an NFL Hall of Famer who also became an actor and civil rights activist, died May 18 in Los Angeles, his wife Monique Brown said. He was 87.
The sports world is mourning the loss of an icon.
Jim Brown, an NFL champion turned actor and civil rights activist, died May 18 at his Los Angeles home, his wife Monique Brown shared on Instagram. He was 87.
"To the world he was an activist, actor, and football star," Monique wrote May 19. "To our family, he was a loving and wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. Our hearts are broken."
She didn't share a cause of death.
Jim's rep
Rhiannon Ellis called him a "trailblazer in American culture" while sharing
a statement on his legacy.
Jim's professional sports legacy
career in 1957, when he was selected in the first round of the NFL draft by
the Cleveland Browns. He would go on to be named Rookie of the Year, become
a three-time NFL MVP and lead the Cleveland Browns to an NFL Championship in
1964. A year later, Jim, who played the running back position, retired at
age 29.
He then turned toward Hollywood, acting in The Dirty Dozen, Ice
Station Zebra and The Split. His credits also include roles in The Running
Man, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Mars Attacks!, He Got Game and Any Given
Sunday.
Notably, his appearance in 1969's 100 Rifles, where he
acted alongside the late Raquel Welch, featured the first intimate love
scene between a Black man and a white woman, according to his rep.
Outside
of sports and acting, Jim focused his efforts on civil rights.
"He was most proud of his social activism and using his platform to
empower others during a racially tense American time," his rep said in a
statement. "He was already active in the Civil Rights movement when he
organized The Cleveland Summit, a June 1967 gathering of 12 of America's
most prominent Black athletes in support of Muhammad Ali and his decision to
abstain from serving in the Vietnam War. It was seen as a turning point in
American sports that is still frequently cited when contemporary athletes
make moral or political stances."
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also echoed the sentiment,
describing Jim—who was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1971—as a
"cultural figure who helped promote change."
"During his
nine-year NFL career, which coincided with the civil rights movement here at
home, he became a forerunner and role model for athletes being involved in
social initiatives outside their sport," Goodell said in an NFL press
release. "He inspired fellow athletes to make a difference, especially in
the communities in which they lived."
Jim is survived by his wife
Monique; children Aris, Morgan, Jim Jr., Kevin, Kimberly, Shellee and Kim;
and multiple grandchildren. His daughter Karen Ward died in 2016.
