Abner Leonard Howell was a star athlete in Utah whose accomplishments went largely ignored during the peak of his football career because of his race. Howell, born on August 9, 1877, moved with his family from Louisiana to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1890. His father, Paul Cephas Howell, was appointed a police officer and detective. Both of Abner's parents, Paul Howell and his mother, Eliza Sharp, had been slaves. Howell’s athletic talent was obvious during high school. After one of the most important high school games, attended by 5,000 fans, the Desert News announced that “a colored fullback named Ab Howell was everything from the bandwagon to the steam calliope.” Howell led his team to a 32-0 victory against East Denver High. When the team went to a restaurant to celebrate, Abner was told that he would need to eat in the kitchen while the rest of the team enjoyed the dining area. Teammate Nicholas Groesbeck Smith replied that they would all eat in the kitchen. The...