Compton Friendship Society Honors Olympian Reynaldo Brown

by Charles Jackson Jr.

The Compton Friendship Society organized an “Old School” party and fundraiser for Reynaldo Brown, the world-famous 1968 Olympian from Compton, California. Businessman Art Levias and the Compton Friendship Society brought together friends and former classmates for a reunion that supported a great cause.

Reynaldo is currently facing health challenges and needs an organ transplant. The Friendship Society has been working to raise community awareness about the financial assistance he needs. Reynaldo is well-loved and has devoted many years to giving back to the community, so people easily rallied together to support him.

Reynaldo is cherished everywhere he goes, but his friends and family in Compton love him most. Growing up in Compton, Reynaldo became a symbol of pride for the community. His achievements as an Olympic high jumper lifted the spirits of those around him. With every leap he took, he brought his community along for the ride.

Attendees filled the Stanford Ave mansion for this fundraiser and tribute to Reynaldo. Lifelong friends shared wonderful stories about their experiences growing up together in Compton.

As a child, Reynaldo was a natural-born athlete. He was tall, strong, and remarkably quick and agile for his size. He excelled in championship high school and college basketball, leading his team to the longest winning streak in California High School Basketball history. Compton High had an all-Black basketball team when Reynaldo was there, led by head coach Bill Armstrong. Reynaldo’s team went 66-0 with back-to-back state and national championships.

Reynaldo’s life experiences were amazing. He grew up in Compton and became part of a pivotal moment in American history. He was on the American Track team that competed in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, when Tommie Smith and John Carlos won medals and protested with raised fists and black gloves. This gesture signified youth and students’ involvement in the Civil Rights movement and brought America’s racism to the world’s attention. The Black Power salute by Tommie Smith and John Carlos was a pivotal moment not only in American history but in world history, and Reynaldo Brown, the 17-year-old high jumper from Compton, was there.

Reynaldo wrote a book about his life called “How I Got Over.” He recounts his victories and defeats, but he also shares a straightforward story about his family, friends, adventures as a star athlete, and battles with several illnesses.

“How I Got Over” is a must-read for all of us because, in telling his story, he tells the story of this country, state, and city we all share. Reynaldo tells the story of his community before the gangs infested it. Compton was rich with athletes, wealthy residents, and a proud people. Back then it was called Black Pride. Reynaldo tells of a unique era where a suburban community turned into a refuge for Southern Black sharecroppers looking to find a new life away from the Jim Crow society they were living in. Reynaldo tells his story, which is also his community’s story. You can find “How I Got Over” online and at several book outlets.

It was good to see so many of Reynaldo’s childhood friends. Many of them are very successful in their own right, and it was a first-class event; Art Levias and the Friendship Club made an honorable, heartfelt effort for a worthy cause.