Through the Banks of the Red Cedar: My Father and the Team That Changed the Game

Written by Maya Washington

Narrated by Maya Washington

A warm and invigorating memoir about a daughter’s love for her father and her appreciation for how he and others changed the game of football forever.

Gene Washington’s football career ended long before his daughter Maya was born. She never saw the legendary powerhouse as anything but her dad. She didn’t yet grasp the impact he’d had on the sport—and on America. To understand his historic role in the integration of college football, witness his influence on generations that followed, and fully appreciate his legacy, Maya had a lot of catching up to do.

Maya retraces her father’s journey from the segregated south to Michigan State during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement and his journey as an NFL pioneer after the 1967 draft. She reflects on how her father’s childhood—and the racism he faced—shaped her upbringing and influenced his expectations of her. She also discovers how unbreakable the emotional bond between teammates can be. But above all, Maya and her father get to know each other. As their own bond deepens, so does Maya’s connection to the sport that changed the trajectory of her father’s life…and hers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jan 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781713601647

Maya Washington

Maya Washington is an award-winning narrative and documentary filmmaker (writer/director/producer), actor, writer, poet, creative director, photographer, and arts educator. She is dedicated to social-impact stories that illuminate aspects of the human experience that are untold or rarely seen or that might benefit from new approaches to issues of diversity and inclusion. For more information visit www.throughthebanksoftheredcedar.com.

Reviews for Through the Banks of the Red Cedar

[scottjpearson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The author Maya Washington’s father is Gene Washington. (In order not to confuse, I will refer to them in this review by their first names.) Gene was among the first black football players on nationally prominent college and NFL/AFL teams in the 1960s. He grew up in Jim Crow Texas, but played football for Michigan State University. Not only did he help to integrate the sport; he also laid the groundwork for football becoming so central to American culture. In this story, Maya tells his story and his friends’ stories while sharing how she – notably, not an avid sports’ fan before this project – grew closer to Gene throughout this process.By trade, Maya is not a writer but a filmmaker. This book is preceded in time by a documentary with the same name. (The documentary is being aired privately at the time of this writing in late 2021.) Using the same research, she shares their collective story in a literary format. The book touches on deep themes like racism, economic mobility, family, the need for social dignity, and the rights of athletes to be rewarded for their work.Gene played with the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos for several seasons with a career limited by injury. In concert with recent trends, he is being (rightly) acknowledged as among a generation who laid the foundation for integrated college football, for the Minnesota Vikings franchise, and for the early growth of the NFL. Of course, his daughter’s perspective allows his personal side to be brought to light as well, and that thread makes this story especially heartwarming.This historical tale will appear particularly to football fans and more broadly to all those who yearn for a more just society. Football is a big industry in American society, and aspiring football players can learn through Maya the complexities of its ascent. Female football fans might also appreciate her account, which speaks of feminine roles in this traditionally masculine of sports. Stories and voices like these need to be recorded before this generation of American heroes dies. Their work, courage, and sacrifices have helped us all become better.