Overview:

Dallas Cowboys players DeMarvion Overshown, Ryan Flournoy, and Donovan Ezeiruaku visited Lincoln High School in South Dallas during Black History Month to connect with students and discuss heritage, identity, and responsibility. The visit was part of the Cowboys’ Character Playbook outreach efforts, which connect players with students across North Texas for conversations about leadership and personal growth. The African American Museum of Dallas provided a meaningful setting for the discussion, as it stands as one of the region’s most significant cultural institutions, preserving and presenting the history, art, and lived experiences of African Americans in Dallas and beyond.

FAIR PARK — In a city where history and community are deeply intertwined, the African American Museum in Fair Park became a living classroom for the next generation. Dallas Cowboys players DeMarvion Overshown, Ryan Flournoy and Donovan Ezeiruaku stood before students from Lincoln High School not just as professional athletes, but as messengers — using Black History Month to connect lessons of heritage, identity and responsibility to the students who will carry those stories forward.

For the Lincoln High School students in attendance, the setting carried added meaning. Located in South Dallas, Lincoln has long stood as a historic educational pillar for Black students in the city. Originally established in 1939 during segregation, the school became one of Dallas’ first secondary campuses for African American students and has since evolved into Lincoln Humanities/Communications Magnet High School — a campus known for its focus on journalism, media and academic opportunity for generations of South Dallas families. That legacy made the conversation inside the museum feel both timely and personal.

It’s important to know your roots and understand why we feel what we feel as we move through the world.

Dallas Cowboys player DeMarvion Overshown

Reconnecting With History

Inside the galleries, the discussion centered on resilience, perspective and the importance of understanding one’s roots. The visit was part of the Cowboys’ Character Playbook outreach efforts, which connect players with students across North Texas for conversations about leadership and personal growth. On this day, however, the classroom extended beyond school walls and into a space dedicated to preserving Black history.

Dallas Cowboys players Ryan Flournoy and Donovan Ezeiruaku stand with Lincoln High students at the African American Museum in Fair Park.

Founded in 1974, the African American Museum of Dallas stands as one of the region’s most significant cultural institutions, preserving and presenting the history, art and lived experiences of African Americans in Dallas and beyond. Surrounded by exhibits tracing journeys from early civilizations through the Civil Rights Movement, the setting provided deeper context to the players’ reflections.

Black History = American History, Says Overshown

Overshown, a Texas native, encouraged students to view Black history through a broader lens.

“It’s American history,” Overshown said. “We talk about the pain, but it’s also about what we survived and what we prevailed through. When you go back further, you see our people as kings and queens. It’s important to know your roots and understand why we feel what we feel as we move through the world.”

Flournoy followed with a message centered on growth and responsibility.

“Black history to me is powerful,” he said. “We come from a background that was broken, but we’re building it up and learning about it so we can change things for the next generation.”

Ezeiruaku, a rookie still carving out his place in the league, connected with students by reflecting on shared experiences.

“I’ve been in y’all’s shoes before,” he said. “Black history means a lot to me, and it’s exciting to be here and keep learning more about what it means for all of us.”

The Legacy of The Black Press

Students also heard from Jessica Washington, publisher and CEO of The Dallas Weekly, who framed the conversation through the lens of legacy and truth.

“Our publication was built on the idea that our community deserves a voice that isn’t filtered or ignored,” Washington said. “You have more access to information than any generation before you. But information isn’t the same as truth. Be fearless, know your facts and protect the truth.”

Throughout the morning, students engaged with players, asked questions and explored exhibits documenting both hardship and triumph. For many, the museum’s presence reinforced a powerful connection: the same South Dallas community that built institutions like Lincoln High School also built spaces like the African American Museum to preserve and tell its stories.

For the Lincoln students, hearing from professional athletes in that environment underscored a clear message — the past provides a foundation, but the future is theirs to shape.

As Overshown noted, Black history is American history. And in that room, surrounded by stories of endurance and excellence rooted in South Dallas and beyond, the next chapter was already being written.

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