On May 8, 1902, Walter Tull was born in Folkestone, England. Tull broke racial barriers in early 20th-century Britain, becoming one of the first Black professional footballers in the English leagues. During World War I, he further shattered boundaries by becoming the first Black officer to lead white British troops into battle—despite a standing military rule against non-Whites becoming officers. Tull’s legacy as an athlete and soldier symbolized quiet but powerful defiance of the color lines in Britain’s imperial society. Today, he is celebrated as a pioneer of both sport and military integration.
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