Joseph E. Prince

Joseph Edward ("Joe") Prince (born June 25, 1954) is a former American athlete born in San Rafael, California, and raised in East Palo Alto, California. He ran track for the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Mustangs. He was the 1974 CCAA Conference 220 yard sprint champion and earned NCAA College Division All-America honors. He is the subject of the 2008 documentary Liberation Saturday, which is based on his autobiography.

Education and athletic career Prince was raised by his grandparents in East Palo Alto, California; he did not meet his mother until 1971. He was diagnosed with Autism as a child; he titled his autobiography for the Saturday Liberation schools established by the Black Panthers, where he learned to read in fifth grade. He was in special education classes at Ravenswood High School when he was encouraged to become a sprinter by his track coach, 1968 Olympic 200 meter champion Tommie Smith. He attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he was on the Mustangs' All-American 440-yard relay team and was the 1974 California Collegiate Athletic Association champion in the 220-yard dash, and after transferring in 1974, graduated from Fresno Pacific College, now Fresno Pacific University, in 1977.