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Tramel: Half a century ago, Clifford Ray found social problems at OU but persevered and still loves his school

NORMAN — Clifford Ray arrived in the summer of 1967, from Union, South Carolina, a town of about 10,000.

Ray came to OU with one pair of sneakers, full of red dirt because cotton grows in Carolina, too. Ray came with none of the trappings of most students. No loafers. No nice jeans. No polo shirts. He acted like the class clown to mask his insecurity.

Minority students, even among athletes, were small in number. That year, OU professor George Henderson became the first Black homeowner in Norman. By sundown, Blacks were expected to be out of town.