Blue River Community Foundation: Garrett’s Legacy Celebrated by Family & Organizers
Passersby who like the recently installed 25-foot Bill Garrett mural at Cagney’s, 33 E. Broadway Street, would certainly have liked the subject.
“We talked to at least 100 people who knew him - black, white - and never once was there even a hint of anything negative about Bill Garrett,” Tom Graham, author of “Getting Open: The Unknown Story of Bill Garrett and the Integration of College Basketball”, said of the book’s seven-year research process. Billy Garrett, a child when his father died of a heart attack at the age of 45 in 1974, grew up hearing the same.
“Everybody loved him. My mom would say that he didn’t always say anything, but he always just kept moving forward. Like, things upset him, but he didn’t let it stop him from moving forward.”
Yesterday’s gathering commemorated the completion of artist Pamela Bliss’s project, funded through the Blue River Community Foundation’s (BRCF) “Pride in Place” program with support from Lilly Endowment Inc., Duke Energy and Mainstreet. A Bill Garrett Community Fund was also recently established at BRCF to support local quality of life initiatives, Executive Director Jennifer Jones said.
Mayor Scott Furgeson, who owns Cagney’s, thanked the Foundation and said he was working on lighting the mural at night.
“Having a piece of work like this that connects us back to our history is fabulous,” the mayor said. “We need things that we can talk about and be proud of.”
Although Indiana University Athletic Director Scott Dolson was unable to attend due to tonight’s college playoff game against Notre Dame, he sent a statement lauding Garrett, the first Black starter in Big 10 history who broke the ironically-named “gentlemen’s agreement” among conference members to not recruit Black players, for being one of the most important figures in conference history.
“His story of determination and perseverance is an inspiration, and I'm so happy that his life is being celebrated in his hometown,” Dolson said. “I know how important that the Shelbyville community was to him, and I expect that Pamela's beautiful display is a must-see attraction for fans from every corner of the state.”
James Garrett III, Bill Garrett’s great-nephew, spoke about the value of the mural to the community and to his family. Lee Marks, a BRCF board member, highlighted the importance and prevalence of local art. Bliss talked about the installation process, which took just six days. Gary Long, an SHS alum and member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, spoke about Garrett’s local influence. Graham called Garrett “the Jackie Robinson of college basketball.”
Shelbyville Central Schools superintendent Dr. Matt Vance also spoke about Garrett’s legacy.
“Each time someone enters our high school gym, it serves as a permanent reminder for us - students, faculty, alumni, visitors - that we are capable of achieving greatness, not just in sports, but in every aspect of our lives,” Dr. Vance said. “It encourages us to dream big, to break down barriers, and to live with the same courage, grace and integrity that Bill Garrett exemplified. He was a catalyst for positive change and strengthened the fabric of this community. The legacy of Bill Garrett lives in each and every student who walks our halls, in every game play in our gym and in every heartbeat, the hope that we, too, can make a difference in the world."
Judith A. Garrett Shelton, one of Bill and Betty Garrett’s four children, recalled a normal childhood of a quiet home life and swimming lessons, and being oblivious to some of her dad’s accomplishments until later.
“Now it just feels so good to come home and see all of these accolades and recognition,” she said
Her brother, Billy Garrett, a college basketball coach, arrived a few minutes late yesterday after flying in from Florida, where his team played the night before. “Our father died when I was so young that everything that has happened here has helped me to know him more. To me, Shelbyville has always been home,” he said. Graham spoke of Garrett’s specific accomplishments in presentations at Shelbyville Middle School yesterday, which will be covered in an upcoming edition.