DUBUQUE, IOWA (April 8, 2026) — A champion on the world stage and a trailblazer at home, University of Dubuque alumnus Sol Butler (1919) shattered barriers, defied segregation, and redefined what it means to lead with courage and excellence.
“Welded into One Blood: Sol Butler and Unity in Diversity” will celebrate Butler’s contributions at 7:30. PM, Tuesday, April 14, in Room 264, Peter and Susan Smith Welcome Center. Doors will open at 7PM. The event is free and open to the public.
From claiming gold at the Inter-Allied Games to becoming the first Black graduate of the University of Dubuque, Butler’s legacy is stitched into the heart of UD. He was a superstar in both football and track and field who pioneered the parlaying of sports fame into business prosperity.
The event is held in conjunction with Sol Butler: An Olympian’s Odyssey through Jim Crow America, a biography written by Brian Hallstoos PhD, professor of history at UD. In the book, Hallstoos tells the story of a Black athlete’s canny use of mainstream middle-class values and relationships with white society to transcend athletic, economic, and social barriers imposed by white supremacy.
“Welded into One Blood: Sol Butler and Unity in Diversity” will feature presentations by students in Hallstoos’ African American History and Race and Gender in Sport History classes. Students will share insights on Butler’s achievements as an athlete, cultural figure, and early civil-rights leader. Drawing from Sol Butler: An Olympian’s Odyssey through Jim Crow America and primary source material, they will explore how Butler’s journey through Jim Crow America connects to today’s challenges and their own personal growth.
Hallstoos will close the event with a reading from his book.
A book signing will be held at 8:30PM in the lobby of the Smith Welcome Center. Copies of Sol Butler: An Olympian’s Odyssey Through Jim Crow America will be available to purchase.
"Welded into One Blood: Sol Butler and Unity in Diversity" is sponsored by UD’s Office of Academic Affairs and Honors Program.
