1. Gold Medalist
Billy Mills to
speak on
campus Feb. 5
Feb. 4th, 2014
Morehead State University’s Office of
Student Activities, Inclusion, and
Leadership will be proudly hosting a
speech by Olympic Gold Medalist,
former U.S. Marine officer, and devoted
Native American activist Billy Mills
tomorrow on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 7
p.m. in 111 Claypool-Young Art
Building. The event is free and open to
the public.
The first and only American to date
credited with achieving an Olympic
Gold medal for the United States during
the 10,000 meter race, Mills' victory in
the 1964 Olympics is still considered
one of the greatest upsets in the history
of the games. A member of the Oglala
Lakota (Sioux) Tribe, Mills is also the
second Native American to ever win an
Olympic Gold medal, standing as a hero
to his ethnicity, following up his
achievement by setting new records in
the both the 10,000 m and three-mile
runs in subsequent games. The following
year, both he and Gerry Lindgren also
broke the world record for the six-mile
run when they finished with a tie at the
AAU National Championships.
In the present day, Mills is now a
humanitarian and co-founder/spokesman
for Running Strong of American Indian
Youth. Through his triumphant efforts
he has helped to raise more than 500
million dollars in both cash and in-kind
gifts for various charities dedicated to
assisting the Native American
community.
Over the course of his academic career,
he has received five honorary doctorates,
and is the honorary recipient of the
Distinguished Service Citation, the
highest tribute that the University of
Kansas Alumni Association can bestow
upon an individual to recognize their
outstanding achievement for the
betterment of humanity. Mill's life was
also the inspiration for the movie
Running Brave; starring Robby Benson;
which shows his difficult and valiant
struggles as a Native American athlete.
Additional information is available by
contacting Ricardo Nazario-Colon,
director of Student Activities, Inclusion
and Leadership Development, at 606-
783-2071.