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Jim Marshall: Grandson of a Freed Slave

One lesson was the appreciation for opportunities and the understanding of how important it is to make the most of them. The original Vikings iron man also appreciates February’s designation as Black History Month as a celebration of perseverance and achievement.

“It’s very significant in my life. My grandfather was an ex-slave. When he was freed, he settled in an area in Kentucky,” Marshall said. “There was quite a bit of history that I learned coming up from my grandfather. He was Ethiopian, and it was significant. He was a proud man, and it was very significant that he was freed and able to make his own life.