Robert Wilks

Robert Wilks was raised in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and attended Hillcrest Junior High and Fayetteville High School. During his junior high years, he played football, basketball, and ran track. In the summer, he played Babe Ruth baseball. One of his favorite memories of junior high was the Hillcrest Indians beating Woodland twice for the Championship.

In track and field, he ran the 220 and was selected to attend the Meet of Champs. When Robert moved on to Fayetteville High School, the climate was right for him to play varsity football and basketball. As a sophomore, he was a starter on both the football and basketball team. Robert and teammate Louis Bryant were instrumental in the success of Arkansas sports integration. Robert was considered the “star” of the team because of his speed, agility, and leaping ability. He often led his team in scoring and rebounding.

In addition to being one of the best athletes in school history, Robert was a very talented vocalist. He loved music and sang in the school chorus. He received many letters of appreciation for participating in the chorus and sports during the Honors Day program. Robert was invited to sing in the USAF ROTC choir. He accepted the invitation and was promoted to the rank of Technical Sergeant.

Conditions weren’t too favorable for African Americans in the mid-sixties, but he did not let that him stop him from working hard to achieve his goals. After high school graduation, Robert enrolled at the University of Arkansas to gain a degree in Business Administration. The war effort in Vietnam was heating up and his draft notice came, causing him to drop out of college and join the Air Force. Three days into basic training in Amarillo, Texas, he received a phone call from his mother, stating that the Kansas University was offering a full ride to play any sport. This proved to be great news coming too late.

Robert’s dream was to become a Razorback and wear the red and white, but that was not going to happen because at that time the University of Arkansas did not accept African American players in the athletic system. Although this dream never came to light, Robert remains a Razorback fan and says that he will until the day he dies.

Robert served our country for eight years. He served a year in DaNang Vietnam and his last duty station was in Las Vegas, NV at Nellis AFB. He now resides in Dallas, TX, where he has worked for the Federal Government for the last 37 years.