The oral history consists of eleven digital files: 2011.174.88.1a, 2011.174.88.1b, 2011.174.88.1c, 2011.174.88.1d, 2011.174.88.1e, 2011.174.88.1f, 2011.174.88.1g, 2011.174.88.1h, 2011.174.88.1i, 2011.174.88.1j, and 2011.174.88.1k.
Basketball player William "Bill" Russell remembers his childhood in Louisiana and Oakland, California, in the 1940s. After winning two Final Fours with the University of San Francisco, he won an Olympic gold medal and an NBA championship playing for the Boston Celtics, one of thirteen Russell would win, including eight in a row. Russell had a difficult relationship with the sports media in Boston, but a better one with his Celtics teammates. He defends the organization as progressive on racial matters (as opposed to the Red Sox) and describes a post-retirement reconciliation with Boston that resulted in considerable Red Sox support for his mentoring organization and a statue of him, erected in 2013.
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
An image of Bill Russell and Elgin Baylor playing in 1965. The image features Baylor with the ball going to the net and Russell jumping up to defend him. The two are surrounded by other players on the court. The background of the image shows the stands filled with spectators and the scoreboard hanging from the rafters.
An image of Wilt Chamberlin standing at one end of the court in the Boston Garden. Down court players from the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics are visible under the far net. Chamberlin is featured at the center of the image with his back towards the camera. He is wearing his uniform that is blue and has the number 13 on the back. The stands are filled with spectators and banners honoring Celtics players are hanging from the rafters.
An image of Wilt Chamberlin mid-jump during a playoff between the 76ers and Boston Celtics. Behind Chamberlin, Bill Russell (Celtics number 6) and (Celtics number 17) John Havlicek turn towards the net. Wali Jones (76ers number 24) is to the left of the play and a referee is visible in the left foreground of the image.