Just Follow Me: James Owens and the Integration of Southeastern Conference Football

In 1969, James Owens (1951–2016) made sports history as the first Black football player at Auburn University―a significant milestone that marked the beginning of the end of segregation in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Owens, a running back, was an exemplary athlete who battled racism and immense scrutiny during his time at Auburn. Yet his strength, his faith, and his family's support emboldened him to persevere and break the color barrier, which ultimately opened the door for other Black athletes.

Just Follow Me: James Owens and the Integration of Southeastern Conference Football chronicles Owens's remarkable life and career―from growing up in Fairfield, Alabama, to his first day on the gridiron as an Auburn Tiger, his work as a coach and pastor, and his later years when he was plagued by heart issues. Through personal interviews with Owens and his former teammates, friends, and coaches, authors Thom Gossom Jr. and Sam Heys reveal the struggles faced by Owens and his contemporaries both on and off the field, all within the broader historical context of the civil rights movement. Just Follow Me is an honest, inspiring account of not only a trailblazing football player but also a resilient and influential leader in the sports community.

Thom Gossom Jr., a writer and actor, appears in the HBO documentary Breaking the Huddle: The Integration of Southern College Football and starred in Fight Club and Queen & Slim. He is the author of the memoir Walk-On: My Reluctant Journey to Integration at Auburn University. Sam Heys covered the SEC's integration for the Atlanta Constitution and the Columbus Enquirer. He is the author of Remember Henry Harris: Lost Icon of a Revolution; A Story of Hope and Self-Sacrifice in America, a Kirkus Star–reviewed book, as well as three other works of narrative nonfiction.