Gregory Allen Howard who wrote ‘Remember the Titans’ dies

NEW YORK (AP) – Screenwriter Gregory Allen Howard, who skillfully adapted stories of historical Black figures in “Remember the Titans” starring Denzel Washington, “Ali” with Will Smith and “Harriet” with Cynthia Erivo, has died.

He was 70. Howard was the first Black screenwriter to write a drama that passed $100 million at the box office when “Titans” crossed that milestone in 2000.

It was about a real-life Black coach coming into a newly segregated Virginia school and helping lead their football team to victory. It had the iconic line: “I don’t care if you like each other or not. But you will respect each other.”