Black College Football Hall of Fame

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Black College Football Hall of Fame
Black College Football Hall of Fame logo.png
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]

Mel Blount
Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson
Deacon Jones
Larry Little
Steve McNair
Walter Payton
Jerry Rice
Shannon Sharpe
John Stallworth
Inductees[14]
Name Role Year
Cleveland Abbott Coach 2012
Coy Bacon Player 2021*
Willard Bailey Coach 2021*
Earl Banks Coach 2011
Lem Barney Player 2011
Elvin Bethea Player 2013
Mel Blount Player 2011
Emerson Boozer Player 2019
Charlie Brackins Player 2013
Robert Brazile Player 2014
Roger Brown Player 2015
Rosey Brown Player 2011
Willie Brown Player 2012
Buck Buchanan Player 2010
Ken Burrough Player 2016
Harold Carmichael Player 2018
Harry Carson Player 2012
Marino Casem Player 2014
Raymond Chester Player 2018
Greg Coleman Player 2021*
Willie Davis Player 2011
Richard Dent Player 2015
Eldridge Dickey Player 2012
Parnell Dickinson Player 2017
Hugh Douglas Player 2019
Jake Gaither Coach 2010
Willie Galimore Player 2010
Jimmie Giles Player 2021*
Joe Gilliam Player 2013
W. C. Gorden Coach 2015
Contributor[a] 2012
L. C. Greenwood Player 2015
James "Shack" Harris Player 2012
Player[b] 2020
Bill Hayes Coach 2018
Bob Hayes Coach 2011
Thomas Henderson Player 2018
Winston Hill Player 2021*
Ken Houston Player 2013
Claude Humphrey Player 2012
James Hunter Player 2020
Harold Jackson Player 2017
Rich Jackson Player 2019
Willie Jeffries Coach 2011
Billy Joe Coach 2017
Gary "Big Hands" Johnson Player 2017
Charlie Joiner Player 2013
Deacon Jones Player 2010
Ed "Too Tall" Jones Player 2013
Leroy Kelly Player 2014
Joe Kendall Player 2011
Ernie Ladd Player 2015
Willie Lanier Player 2010
Frank Lewis Player 2019
Leo Lewis Player 2018
Larry Little Player 2013
Greg Lloyd Player 2018
Robert Mathis Player 2020
Steve McNair Player 2012
John Merritt Coach 2013
Ace Mumford Coach 2019
Contributor[c] 2013
Timmy Newsome Player 2019
Contributor[d] 2011
Bill Nunn Contributor 2010
Walter Payton Player 2010
Robert Porcher Player 2017
Jethro Pugh Player 2016
Jerry Rice Player 2010
Willie Richardson Player 2012
Ken Riley Player 2015
Isiah Robertson Player 2017
Eddie Robinson Coach 2010
Johnny Sample Player 2012
Shannon Sharpe Player 2013
Art Shell Player 2011
Donnie Shell Player 2015
Jackie Slater Player 2013
John Stallworth Player 2014
Ben Stevenson Player 2010
Michael Strahan Player 2014
Joe Taylor Coach 2020
John Taylor Player 2019
Otis Taylor Player 2016
Contributor[e] 2020
Emmitt Thomas Player 2016
Willie Totten Player 2014
Everson Walls Player 2018
Lloyd C. A. Wells Contributor 2016
Doug Wilkerson Player 2014
Aeneas Williams Player 2016
Doug Williams Player 2011
Erik Williams Player 2020
Rayfield Wright Player 2012
Roynell Young Player 2021*
Paul "Tank" Younger Player 2010

* Induction scheduled for June 19, 2021[15]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Director of personnel and scout for the Philadelphia Eagles
  2. ^ Quarterback at North Carolina Central University (1985–1988)
  3. ^ Broadcaster and commentator for Black college football
  4. ^ Sports information director at Grambling State University
  5. ^ Commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference; athletic director at Hampton University

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". The Undefeated. 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. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  15. ^ "Black College Football Hall of Fame announces six inductees for 2021 class". NFL.com. November 19, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.

External links[]

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