More than a year before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball, there was another seismic moment in sports history. On March 21, 1946, former UCLA running back Kenny Washington—a teammate of Robinson's in college—signed a contract with the L.A. Rams, ending a long period in which African-American players were banned from league play. Paying tribute to Washington, former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson also chronicles the pioneering efforts of other black trailblazers, including Woody Strode, Marion Motley, and Bill Willis.