Jerry Jones comments on photo of white adolescents blocking school desegregation attempt in 1957

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been the subject of quite a bit of press this week after a photo from 1957 during a seminal moment in the Civil Rights movement surfaced in a piece from the Washington Post.

In a story about Jones’ potential influence on the NFL’s effort to improve its record of hiring minority coaches, the Post unearthed a photo of Jones toward the back of a throng of white adolescents ostensibly blocking six Black students from entry to North Little Rock High School.

Jones provided an explanation of his presence in the photo.

“That was 65 years ago,” Jones said on Thanksgiving following Dallas’ game, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. “I had no idea when I walked up what we were doing. It’s just a reminder to me of how to improve and do things the right way.”

Jones was also quoted by the Post about the incident, noting his high school coach at the time advised players not to go to the entrance of the school on that fateful day, but he didn’t listen.

“I don’t know that I or anybody anticipated or had a background of knowing . . . what was involved,” Jones told the Post. “It was more a curious thing.”

Jerry Jones’ background as an NFL owner

Jerry Jones’ ownership of the Dallas Cowboys began in 1989 when he purchased the franchise. Success was not far behind.

The Cowboys won Super Bowl titles in 1992, 1993 and 1995 during one of the greatest runs in NFL history.

Jones has since been inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, joining the prestigious group in 2017. He is one of just 15 owners to have his bust in Canton, Ohio, as a member.

The Cowboys have made 16 NFL playoff appearances in the 33 years Jones has owned the organization.