Black College Football Hall of Fame

Black College Football Hall of Fame
Established2009 in Atlanta
LocationPro Football Hall of Fame
Canton, Ohio
TypeHall of fame
FounderJames "Shack" Harris & Doug Williams
Websitewww.blackcollegefootballhof.org

The Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF)[1] is an American hall of fame for college football players, coaches and contributors from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). It was founded in 2009 in Atlanta, centrally located to many of the country's black universities.[2] Its museum is located within the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.[3] Players are eligible for induction if they played at least two seasons at an HBCU and finished their college career at an HBCU. They can be nominated five years after their last college season. Any current or former head coach of an HBCU is eligible. Anyone can be nominated as a contributor.[4]

History

The BCFHOF was co-founded by James Harris and Doug Williams, former quarterbacks who both played football at the historically black university Grambling State University before playing professionally.[5][6][7] As a rookie with the Buffalo Bills in 1969, Harris become the first black quarterback to be the starter in a season opener in either the American Football League or the National Football League (NFL). Williams was the first black quarterback to play in a Super Bowl, starting for the Washington Redskins and winning Super Bowl XXII while being named the Super Bowl MVP.[6]

At its inception in 2009, the BCFHOF did not have a building.[2] Its induction ceremonies and educational programs were held at various hotels in Atlanta.[8] In 2016, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that it was providing a permanent home for the BCFHOF.[9] The exhibit officially opened in 2019, held on the same weekend as the inaugural Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.[1][8][10] The BCFHOF continues to run independently with its board of directors and choosing its inductees.[11]

In 2021, the BCFHOF partnered with the NFL, Pro Football Hall of Fame and Tulane University to establish the HBCU Legacy Bowl, a postseason all-star game for NFL Draft-eligible players from HBCUs.[12][13]

Inductees

Also member of College Football and Pro Football Hall of Fame** Also member of College Football Hall of Fame § Also member of Pro Football Hall of Fame†
Inductee Class Position College(s) Years
Buck Buchanan** 2010 OT, DE Grambling State 1959–1962
Jake Gaither§ HC Florida A&M 1945–1969
Willie Galimore§ HB 1953–1956
Deacon Jones† DE South Carolina State, Mississippi Valley State 1958, 1960
Willie Lanier** LB, G Morgan State 1963–1966
Bill Nunn† Contributor N/A
Walter Payton** RB Jackson State 1971–1974
Jerry Rice** WR Mississippi Valley State 1981–1984
Eddie Robinson§ HC Grambling State 1941–1997
Ben Stevenson§ HB Tuskegee 1923–1930
Paul "Tank" Younger§ HB, LB Grambling State 1945–1948
Earl Banks§ 2011 HC Morgan State 1960–1973
Lem Barney† CB Jackson State 1963–1966
Mel Blount† CB, S Southern 1966–1969
Rosey Brown† OT Morgan State 1949–1952
Willie Davis† OT, DE Grambling State 1952–1955
Bob Hayes† SE Florida A&M 1962–1965
Willie Jeffries§ [a] HC South Carolina State, Howard[a] 1973–1978; 1989–2001, 1984–1988[a]
Joe Kendall§ HB Kentucky State 1933–1936
Collie J. Nicholson Contributor N/A
Art Shell** OT Maryland State 1964–1967
Doug Williams§ QB Grambling State 1974–1977
Cleveland Abbott 2012 HC Tuskegee 1923–1954
Willie Brown† SE, OLB Grambling State 1959–1962
Harry Carson** DE South Carolina State 1972–1975
Eldridge Dickey QB, P Tennessee State 1964–1967
Jackie Graves Contributor N/A
James "Shack" Harris QB Grambling State 1965–1968
Claude Humphrey† DE Tennessee State 1964–1967
Steve McNair§ QB Alcorn State 1991–1994
Willie Richardson§ E Jackson State 1959–1962
Johnny Sample HB, K Maryland State 1954–1957
Rayfield Wright† FS, P, DE, TE Fort Valley State 1963–1966
Elvin Bethea† 2013 OLB North Carolina A&T 1964–1967
Charlie Brackins QB Prairie View A&M 1951–1954
Joe Gilliam Tennessee State 1968–1971
Ken Houston† S, LB Prairie View A&M 1964–1967
Charlie Joiner† WR Grambling State 1965–1968
Ed "Too Tall" Jones DT Tennessee State 1970–1973
Larry Little† OT Bethune–Cookman 1963–1966
John Merritt§ HC Jackson State, Tennessee A&I / State 1952–1962, 1963–1983
Charlie Neal Contributor N/A
Shannon Sharpe† TE Savannah State 1986–1989
Jackie Slater† OT Jackson State 1973–1976
Robert Brazile† 2014 LB 1971–1974
Marino Casem§ HC Alabama State, Alcorn A&M / State, Southern 1963, 1964–1985, 1987–88; 1992
Leroy Kelly† HB Morgan State 1960–1963
John Stallworth† WR Alabama A&M 1970–1973
Michael Strahan† DE Texas Southern 1989–1992
Willie Totten§ QB Mississippi Valley State 1981–1985
Doug Wilkerson G North Carolina Central 1966–1969
Roger Brown§ 2015 DT Maryland State 1956–1959
Richard Dent† DE Tennessee State 1979–1982
W. C. Gorden§ HC Jackson State 1976–1991
L. C. Greenwood DE Arkansas AM&N 1965–1968
Ernie Ladd DT Grambling State 1957–1960
Ken Riley† CB Florida A&M 1965–1968
Donnie Shell** SS South Carolina State 1970–1973
Ken Burrough 2016 WR Texas Southern 1966–1969
Jethro Pugh DT Elizabeth City State 1961–1964
Otis Taylor FL Prairie View A&M
Emmitt Thomas† CB Bishop 1962–1965
Lloyd C. A. Wells Contributor N/A
Aeneas Williams† CB, FS Southern 1989–1990
Parnell Dickinson 2017 QB Mississippi Valley State 1972–1975
Harold Jackson WR Jackson State 1964–1967
Billy Joe§ HC Cheyney, Central State, Florida A&M, Miles 1972–1978, 1981–1993, 1994–2004, 2008–2010
Gary "Big Hands" Johnson§ DT Grambling State 1971–1974
Robert Porcher DE Tennessee State, South Carolina State 1988–1989, 1990–1991
Isiah Robertson LB Southern 1967–1970
Harold Carmichael† 2018 WR Southern
Raymond Chester TE Morgan State 1966–1969
Bill Hayes HC Winston-Salem State, North Carolina A&T 1976–1987, 1988–2002
Thomas Henderson LB Langston 1971–1974
Leo Lewis§ [b] RB Lincoln (MO) 1951–1954
Greg Lloyd LB Fort Valley State 1983–1986
Everson Walls CB, S Grambling State 1977–1980
Emerson Boozer§ 2019 RB Maryland State 1962–1965
Hugh Douglas DE Central State 1992–1994
Rich Jackson Southern 1962–1965
Frank Lewis WR Grambling State 1967–1970
Ace Mumford§ HC Jarvis Christian, Bishop, Texas College, Southern 1924–1926, 1927–1929, 1931–1935, 1936–1961
Timmy Newsome RB Winston-Salem State 1976–1979
John Taylor WR Delaware State 1983–1985
Earl "Air" Harvey 2020 QB North Carolina Central 1985–1988
James Hunter CB Grambling State 1972–1975
Robert Mathis DE Alabama A&M 1999–2002
Joe Taylor§ HC Howard, Virginia Union, Hampton, Florida A&M 1983, 1984–1991, 1992–2007, 2008–2012
Dennis Thomas Contributor N/A
Erik Williams OT Central State 1987–1990
Coy Bacon 2021 DE, DT Jackson State 1962–1966
Willard Bailey HC Virginia Union, Norfolk State, Saint Paul's (VA), Virginia–Lynchburg 1971–1983; 1995–2003, 1984–1992, 2005–2010, 2011–2013
Greg Coleman P Florida A&M 1972–1975
Jimmie Giles TE Alcorn State 1973–1976
Winston Hill† OT, DT Texas Southern 1959–1962
Roynell Young S, CB Alcorn State 1977–1979
Ben Coates 2022 TE Livingstone College 1987–1990
Donald Driver WR Alcorn State 1995–1998
John "Big Train" Moody RB Morris Brown College 1939–1941
Roscoe Nance Contributor N/A
Nate Newton OL Florida A&M 1979–1982
Billy Nicks§ Coach Morris Brown College, Prairie View A&M 1930–1965
Sammy White WR Grambling State 1972–1975
Leslie Frazier 2023 DB Alcorn State 1977–1980
Henry Lawrence OT Florida A&M 1970–1973
Albert Lewis CB Grambling State 1979–1982
Jim Marsalis CB Tennessee State 1965–1968
Tyrone McGriff§ OL Florida A&M 1976–1979
Elijah Pitts HB Philander Smith College 1957–1960
Pete Richardson Coach Southern, Winston-Salem State 1988–2009
Johnnie Walton QB Elizabeth City State 1965–1968
Joe "747" Adams 2024 QB Tennessee State 1977–1980
Antoine Bethea S Howard 2002–2005
Waymond Bryant LB Tennessee State 1970–1973
Kevin Dent§ S Jackson State 1985–1988
Richard Huntley RB Winston-Salem State 1992–1995
Eddie Hurt Coach Morgan State 1929–1959
Lemar Parrish CB Lincoln 1966–1969
Henry Dyer 2025 FB Grambling State 1962–1965
Fred “Pop” Long HC Paul Quinn, Wiley, Prairie View A&M, Texas College 1921–1922, 1923–1947; 1956–1965, 1948, 1949–1954
Rashean Mathis CB Bethune-Cookman 1999–2002
Jacquay Nunnally WR Florida A&M 1997–2000
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tennessee State 2004–2007
Jay “Sky” Walker QB Howard 1991–1993

Source:[14]

Inductees by school

College Number
Grambling State 16
Tennessee State 11
Florida A&M 10
Jackson State
Southern 8
Alcorn State 6
Morgan State
Prairie View A&M 5
South Carolina State
Howard 4
Maryland State
Mississippi Valley State
Winston-Salem State
Central State 3
Texas Southern
Alabama A&M 2
Bishop
Bethune–Cookman
Elizabeth City State
Fort Valley State
Lincoln (MO)
Morris Brown
North Carolina A&T
North Carolina Central
Texas College
Tuskegee
Virginia Union
Alabama State 1
Arkansas–Pine Bluff
Cheyney
Hampton
Jarvis Christian
Kentucky State
Langston
Livingstone
Miles
Norfolk State
Paul Quinn
Philander Smith
Saint Paul's (VA)
Savannah State
Virginia–Lynchburg
Wiley

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c He also coached to the Shockers from 1979–1983, but Wichita State University is not a HBCU.
  2. ^ He is also member of Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

References

  1. ^ a b "Black College Football Hall of Fame". ProFootballHOF.com. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Stafford, Leon (August 11, 2012). "Black football hall to honor unsung stars". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  3. ^ Tomasson, Chris (November 20, 2020). "Ex-Vikings punter and 'pioneer' Greg Coleman humbled by selection to Black College Football Hall of Fame". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  4. ^ "Selection Crieria". BlackCollegeFootballHOF.org. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  5. ^ Balint, Ed (August 29, 2019). "Football pioneer honors history of black colleges". CantonRep.com. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Brady, Erik (August 28, 2019). "The QB and the ball boy: A Hall of Fame friendship forged with the Bills". Buffalo News. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020.
  7. ^ Clay, Gregory (May 27, 2016). "Black College Football Hall of Fame gets permanent home". Andscape. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Strickland, Ray (September 1, 2019). "Pro Football Hall of Fame unveils exhibit honoring historically black college & university legends". WKYC.com. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  9. ^ "Black College Football Hall to find home in Canton, Ohio". Pittsburg Courier. May 20, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  10. ^ Bona, Marc (August 31, 2019). "Why is the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic important?". Cleveland.com. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  11. ^ Doerschuk, Steve (May 12, 2016). "Black College Football Hall of Fame moving to Canton, Hall of Fame Village". The Columbus Dispatch.
  12. ^ "HBCU Legacy Bowl debuts in Louisiana next year". WBRZ.com. March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  13. ^ "Black College Football Hall of Fame Announces Establishment of the HBCU Legacy Bowl" (Press release). Black College Football Hall of Fame. March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  14. ^ "All Inductees". BlackCollegeFootballHOF.org. Archived from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
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