MARIETTA, Ga., Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/ --
Who: Thom Gossom, Jr. is a television and film actor and producer who has appeared on numerous television series, including "Boston Legal," "Cold Case," "NYPD Blue" and "In the Heat of the Night;" and feature films, such as "Fight Club," "Jeepers Creepers II" and "Miss Evers' Boys." In 2004, Gossom founded Best Gurl Entertainment, which produced his acclaimed play, "Speak of Me As I Am." In 1975, he became the first black athlete to graduate from Auburn University. What: Gossom will sign and read from his memoir, "Walk-On." A coming-of-age tale about overcoming adversity and gaining success, "Walk-On" not only tells the story of how Gossom earned a spot on Auburn's football team, but it also offers a unique perspective on a major social change sweeping college athletics during the 1970s, showing readers what it was like to be on the front lines of desegregation in the South. "Walk-On" is published by Borders and is available in Borders and Waldenbooks stores as well as on Borders.com. Why: Gossom did not set out to be a ground breaker. He did not apply to Auburn University with the goal of being the first black athlete to graduate from the almost all-white college. He just knew that he wanted to play football and he wanted to play football at Auburn. A good student and a gifted athlete, Gossom was accepted to Auburn in 1970 and forever left the comfort of his segregated hometown boyhood to enter into a world of privilege that was just starting to grapple with desegregation. Loneliness, anger, jealousy and overt racism awaited him on and off the field. As Gossom fought for his place on the team-and on campus-he became part of the movement to make the world a better place for those who were to come after him, and in doing so, became part of history. When: Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. Where: Borders 4475 Roswell Road Marietta, GA 30062 (770) 565-0947 (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060208/BORDERSLOGO )
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