Jim Brown passes away at age 87

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A pillar of Black American history went home to glory today.

At age 87, Jim Brown, Hall of Fame NFL athlete, actor, and devout civil rights activist passed away as announced by his wife, Monique Brown, on Instagram today.

Brown’s legacy on the field of play one of the very first sports superstars is unblemished. He was a tireless advocate for the rights of Black people at a time when a man in his position as one of the first superstars of modern American sports could have easily kept his mouth shut and enjoyed the fruits of his labor. He did none of that. Even today, many people will tell you that Jim Brown was the single greatest athlete to dress out.

“Jim Brown is a true icon of not just the Cleveland Browns but the entire NFL,” said Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam. “He was certainly the greatest to ever put on a Browns uniform and arguably one of the greatest players in NFL history. Jim was one of the reasons the Browns have such a tremendous fan base today.

In his personal life, Brown wasn’t quite as pristine or valiant to say the very least. According to the AP, Brown was arrested a half-dozen times for abusing women and in 1986, he was accused of rape. In each of these cases, the charges were dropped, however, he was sentenced to six months in jail after he refused to go to domestic violence counseling.

Clearly, Brown was a complicated figure with exploits that have undoubtedly led to the disdain of a great many people, yet he still holds a place of great admiration and reverence for others. It’s understandable if you are unsettled about how you feel about such a man.