Only One Airedale: An Integration Story

by Mike McSpadden

In the fall of 1964, sixteen Black students boarded a bus in Alma, Arkansas, on what should have been the first day of school. What happened next would change their lives—and their town—forever.

Only One Airedale tells the story of how high school athletics became a battleground for civil rights and social change in Western Arkansas. Through the eyes of students, coaches, and community members, Dr. Mike McSpadden brings to life the heartbreak and heroism that defined the struggle for integration.

A lifelong educator and former athletic director in Alma, McSpadden weaves a fictionalized tale, informed by deep historical research and firsthand accounts, to explore a forgotten chapter in Arkansas history. From segregated classrooms and hidden school board policies to the football field where true equality was tested, this story honors the “Sweet Sixteen” who stepped into the unknown and made history.

Only One Airedale shows that meaningful change often happens through steady effort and staying true to what’s right.

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 28, 2025