It was a big weekend for Syracuse University after the football team won their first game of the season against Louisville on Saturday. The famous Syracuse 8 was also honored with a mural in the JMA Wireless Dome.

“It shows that we’re valued,” Syracuse 8 member Greg Allen said. “What we did in 1970 had purpose and meaning. Syracuse University recognizes that our boycott wasn’t one of malice or malicious intent but it was to make the school a better place.”  

The Syracuse 8 is a group of nine African American football players who were members of the 1969-70 team. They boycotted the team and called for an end to discrimination and inequities within the athletic program. 

“I think everyone should try to make a contribution,” Allen said. “We all should try to make this world a better place. We all should do what we can to help humanity be better.”  

Allen says having a mural dedicated to them is an honor.

“It’s so meaningful, so touching that not just a display but an entire mural of an entire wall, really says that the university unconditionally accepts the Syracuse 8 as a part of their history,” Allen said. 

The artist who helped bring their legacy to life says it’s a blessing.

“It’s a good feeling knowing that I made everybody feel great,” Rotimi Martins said. “They get to go back and look at older photos and they get to relive some of the past. Just them being honored for what they told for and seeing their reactions was amazing.”