Olympic Medalist Ron Freeman featured at Soup and Substance Tuesday

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Ron Freeman said students felt an “urgency” to get and complete an education when he was in school — a notion that has since been lost.

Freeman, a 1968 gold medalist in the 4×400 relay, spoke Tuesday at Soup and Substance, an event hosted by the Multicultural Education Center.

“African Americans willed ourselves an education (during the Civil Rights movement),” Freeman said. “We had an urgency for education, and we had that urgency during that race.”

Freeman said he and his teammates nearly boycotted the 1968 Olympics because of poor treatment of black people.

He said those who are educated need to “reach down and reach out” to those who are less fortunate — to show the benefits of education — to regain that sense of urgency in this country today.

Sterling Johnson, political science professor, said Freeman is a personal family friend and his work during the Olympics made Freeman a hero of Johnson’s.

“I had his poster in my dorm,” Johnson said. “He is one of my heroes, he had a big influence on my self. I have great esteem and pride for him, he is a big motivator for me.”

Saginaw junior Kayla Howell said Freeman’s speech was “absolutely excellent.”

“He was very informative, especially for the many students who don’t understand the struggle to get an education,” she said. “He’s a very positive role model doing so much for the international community. It’s great to have someone so positive giving back.”

Freeman lives in Conakry, Guinea and works for the International Medalist Association, a foundation he created to further education. Each February, he said, he gives a speaking tour for Black History Month and donates all proceeds he earns back to the foundation.

He said the money goes to support primary and secondary education in Guinea, and also supports two homes for young women in need of aid in the country.