See 16 photos of Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown as an activist

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Around the same time as Jim Brown announced his retirement from the NFL, he told Sports Illustrated he wanted to have a hand in the struggle that was taking place in America. Brown, who died Thursday night at age 87, had already helped form the Black Industrial Economic Union (then called the Negro Industrial Economic Union), a group that believed economic development was critical to equality for Black Americans. Brown teamed up with other high-profile athletes like Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell and boxing great Muhammad Ali...