From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry)
Walker, Solly
(born: April 9, 1932 - died: April 28, 2017)Solly Walker, born in 1932 in South Carolina, his parents, Otis and Eva Walker, moved the family to Brooklyn when he was a child. At St. John's University in his sophomore year, he was on the court as a guard for his team on December 17, 1951, thus becoming the first African American to play in an integrated college basketball game at the University of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky (UK) defeated St. John's, in spite of Walker beginning the game by hitting six of his first seven shots: he was only able to play a few minutes before receiving a blow that put him on the sidelines for the rest of the game and for several weeks beyond.
In a subsequent tournament game in 1952, St. John's defeated UK in the NCAA East Regional in Raleigh, NC. St. John's continued winning in the tournament until they were defeated in the final game by the University of Kansas Jayhawks.
Solly Walker was the first African American to play basketball at St. John's University, and upon graduation was drafted by the New York Knicks. Walker declined the NBA offer and and instead became one of the first African American high school principals in New York, then later served on the New York City Board of Education in Manhattan.
Solly Walker died April 28, 2017 in Brooklyn, NY. He is buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY.
For more see Raw Recruits, by A. Wolff; Lois Elfman, "Lapchick Character Award Presented to NYC Legend," amsterdam news.com, Sept. 27, 2018; Dan Klores, "The first St. John's Black player and a fateful trip to Kentucky," nypost.com, 12/19/2025; "Solly Walker" at basketball-reference.com; a picture of Walker playing in the December game against Kentucky on p. 111 of the 1952 Kentuckian Yearbook; "Solly Walker to be honored at 26th Annual President's Dinner," at redstormsports.com, Oct. 30, 2023; "Former St. John's basketball star Solly Walker dies at 85, online at www.si.com; and "Solly Walker's impact at St. John's went beyond the hardwood," at torchline.com.
