Missouri's Democratic governor, Jay Nixon, was present atthefirst shovel turning and the state paid for a satellite truck to beam images of the ceremony to every resident of the state who wanted to see it.
Crocker, who beat Phelps to win the world title in Barcelona and took the world record from him atthe same time, wanted to take charge from the start and went out fast down thefirst length, turning inside world record pace atthe 50 in 23.59, more than half a second clear of the field.
He believes that black Americans made a great historical error in the 1960s when they relaxed their campaign for civil rights and integration atthefirst sign of progress, turning their back in many cases on the "blacks only" hotels and restaurants which had sustained them during segregation in favour of the businesses which were newly opening to them.