Black College Football Hall of Fame
{{short description|American sports hall of fame}}
{{Infobox museum
| name = Black College Football Hall of Fame
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image = Black_College_Football_Hall_of_Fame_logo.png
| imagesize = 200
| caption =
| alt =
| established = 2009 in Atlanta
| dissolved =
| location = Pro Football Hall of Fame
Canton, Ohio
| type = Hall of fame
| collection =
| founder = James "Shack" Harris & Doug Williams
| visitors =
| president =
| curator =
| website = {{URL|www.blackcollegefootballhof.org}}
}}
The Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF){{cite web|title=Black College Football Hall of Fame|website=ProFootballHOF.com|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/black-college-football-hall-of-fame/|access-date=February 25, 2021}} 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.{{cite news|first=Leon|last=Stafford|title=Black football hall to honor unsung stars|date=August 11, 2012|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local/black-football-hall-honor-unsung-stars/ABiaB900TpmF9E1MgoS2YJ/|access-date=February 26, 2021}} Its museum is located within the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.{{cite news|first=Chris|last=Tomasson|title=Ex-Vikings punter and 'pioneer' Greg Coleman humbled by selection to Black College Football Hall of Fame|date=November 20, 2020|newspaper=Duluth News Tribune|url=https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sports/football/6772683-Ex-Vikings-punter-and-‘pioneer’-Greg-Coleman-humbled-by-selection-to-Black-College-Football-Hall-of-Fame|access-date=February 25, 2021}} 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.{{cite web|title=Selection Crieria|website=BlackCollegeFootballHOF.org|url=https://www.blackcollegefootballhof.org/inductees/criteria|access-date=February 25, 2021}}
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.{{cite news|first=Ed|last=Balint|title=Football pioneer honors history of black colleges|date=August 29, 2019|website=CantonRep.com|url=https://www.cantonrep.com/sports/20190829/football-pioneer-honors-history-of-black-colleges|access-date=February 25, 2021}}{{cite news|first=Gregory|last=Clay|title=Black College Football Hall of Fame gets permanent home|date=May 27, 2016|work=Andscape|url=https://andscape.com/features/black-college-football-hall-of-fame-gets-permanent-home/|access-date=March 2, 2021}} 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.{{cite news|first=Erik|last=Brady|title=The QB and the ball boy: A Hall of Fame friendship forged with the Bills|date=August 28, 2019|newspaper=Buffalo News|url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/the-qb-and-the-ball-boy-a-hall-of-fame-friendship-forged-with-the-bills/article_aa859307-beba-559d-a784-de1763cce19c.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730012044/https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/the-qb-and-the-ball-boy-a-hall-of-fame-friendship-forged-with-the-bills/article_aa859307-beba-559d-a784-de1763cce19c.html|archive-date=July 30, 2020|url-status=live}}
At its inception in 2009, the BCFHOF did not have a building. Its induction ceremonies and educational programs were held at various hotels in Atlanta. In 2016, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that it was providing a permanent home for the BCFHOF.{{cite news|title=Black College Football Hall to find home in Canton, Ohio|date=May 20, 2016|newspaper=Pittsburg Courier|url=https://newpittsburghcourier.com/2016/05/20/black-college-football-hall-to-find-home-in-canton-ohio/|access-date=February 25, 2021}} 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.{{cite news|first=Ray|last=Strickland|title=Pro Football Hall of Fame unveils exhibit honoring historically black college & university legends|date=September 1, 2019|website=WKYC.com|url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/football/pro-football-hall-of-fame-unveils-exhibit-honoring-hbcu-legends/95-c25045ee-f6bb-4250-9395-d58e6bfdb373|access-date=February 25, 2021}}{{cite news|first=Marc|last=Bona|title=Why is the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic important?|date=August 31, 2019|website=Cleveland.com|url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2019/08/why-is-the-black-college-football-hall-of-fame-classic-important.html|access-date=February 25, 2021}} The BCFHOF continues to run independently with its board of directors and choosing its inductees.{{cite news|first=Steve|last=Doerschuk|title=Black College Football Hall of Fame moving to Canton, Hall of Fame Village|date=May 12, 2016|newspaper=The Columbus Dispatch|url=https://www.dispatch.com/article/20160512/SPORTS/160519696}}
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.{{cite news|title=HBCU Legacy Bowl debuts in Louisiana next year|date=March 18, 2021|website=WBRZ.com|url=https://www.wbrz.com/news/hbcu-legacy-bowl-debuting-in-louisiana-next-year/|access-date=March 19, 2021}}{{cite press release|title=Black College Football Hall of Fame Announces Establishment of the HBCU Legacy Bowl|date=March 18, 2021|publisher=Black College Football Hall of Fame|url=https://www.hbculegacybowl.com/press/2021/03/18/announcing-the-legacy-bowl/|access-date=March 19, 2021}}
Inductees
File:Mel-Bount Legends-Reception 09-04-10.jpg]]
File:Thomas Henderson signing autographs in Jan 2014.jpg]]
File:Deacon Jones in 1971 Brady Bunch promo.jpg]]
File:Steve McNair 2007-08-10.jpg]]
File:1986 Jeno's Pizza - 12 - Walter Payton (Walter Payton crop).jpg]]
File:Jerry Rice 2016 Pro Bowl.jpg]]
File:John Stallworth - 2019 01.jpg]]
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:smaller"
! style="background:#D4EDFF"|Also member of College Football and Pro Football Hall of Fame** ! style="background:white"| ! style="background:lightgreen"|Also member of College Football Hall of Fame § ! style="background:white"| ! style="background:#FFC40C"|Also member of Pro Football Hall of Fame† |
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Inductee ! Class ! Position ! College(s) ! Years |
| style="background:#D4EDFF" | Buck Buchanan**
| rowspan = 11 | 2010 | 1959–1962 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Jake Gaither§
| HC | rowspan = 2 | Florida A&M | 1945–1969 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Willie Galimore§
| HB | 1953–1956 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Deacon Jones†
| DE | South Carolina State, Mississippi Valley State | 1958, 1960 |
| style="background:#D4EDFF" | Willie Lanier**
| 1963–1966 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Bill Nunn†
| Contributor | colspan = 2 | N/A |
| style="background:#D4EDFF" | Walter Payton**
| RB | 1971–1974 |
| style="background:#D4EDFF" | Jerry Rice**
| WR | 1981–1984 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Eddie Robinson§
| HC | 1941–1997 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Ben Stevenson§
| HB | Tuskegee | 1923–1930 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Paul "Tank" Younger§
| 1945–1948 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Earl Banks§
| rowspan = 11 | 2011 | HC | 1960–1973 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Lem Barney†
| CB | 1963–1966 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Mel Blount†
| Southern | 1966–1969 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Rosey Brown†
| OT | 1949–1952 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Willie Davis†
| 1952–1955 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Bob Hayes†
| SE | 1962–1965 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Willie Jeffries§ {{efn|name=WJ|He also coached to the Shockers from 1979–1983, but Wichita State University is not a HBCU.}}
| HC | South Carolina State, Howard{{efn|name=WJ}} | 1973–1978; 1989–2001, 1984–1988{{efn|name=WJ}} |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Joe Kendall§
| HB | 1933–1936 |
| Collie J. Nicholson
| Contributor | colspan = 2 | N/A |
| style="background:#D4EDFF" | Art Shell**
| OT | 1964–1967 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Doug Williams§
| QB | 1974–1977 |
| Cleveland Abbott
| rowspan = 11| 2012 | HC | Tuskegee | 1923–1954 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Willie Brown†
| 1959–1962 |
| style="background:#D4EDFF" | Harry Carson**
| DE | 1972–1975 |
| Eldridge Dickey
| 1964–1967 |
| Jackie Graves
| Contributor | colspan = 2 | N/A |
| James "Shack" Harris
| QB | 1965–1968 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Claude Humphrey†
| DE | 1964–1967 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Steve McNair§
| QB | 1991–1994 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Willie Richardson§
| E | 1959–1962 |
| Johnny Sample
| 1954–1957 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Rayfield Wright†
| 1963–1966 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Elvin Bethea†
| rowspan = 11 | 2013 | OLB | 1964–1967 |
| Charlie Brackins
| rowspan = 2 | QB | 1951–1954 |
| Joe Gilliam
| 1968–1971 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Ken Houston†
| 1964–1967 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Charlie Joiner†
| WR | 1965–1968 |
| Ed "Too Tall" Jones
| DT | 1970–1973 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Larry Little†
| OT | 1963–1966 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | John Merritt§
| HC | Jackson State, Tennessee A&I / State | 1952–1962, 1963–1983 |
| Charlie Neal
| Contributor | colspan = 2 | N/A |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Shannon Sharpe†
| TE | 1986–1989 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Jackie Slater†
| OT | rowspan = 2 | Jackson State | 1973–1976 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Robert Brazile†
| rowspan = 7 | 2014 | LB | 1971–1974 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Marino Casem§
| HC | Alabama State, Alcorn A&M / State, Southern | 1963, 1964–1985, 1987–88; 1992 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Leroy Kelly†
| HB | 1960–1963 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | John Stallworth†
| WR | 1970–1973 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Michael Strahan†
| DE | 1989–1992 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Willie Totten§
| QB | 1981–1985 |
| Doug Wilkerson
| G | 1966–1969 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Roger Brown§
| rowspan = 7 | 2015 | DT | 1956–1959 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Richard Dent†
| DE | 1979–1982 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | W. C. Gorden§
| HC | 1976–1991 |
| L. C. Greenwood
| DE | 1965–1968 |
| Ernie Ladd
| DT | 1957–1960 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" |Ken Riley†
| CB | 1965–1968 |
| style="background:#D4EDFF" | Donnie Shell**
| SS | 1970–1973 |
| Ken Burrough
| rowspan = 6 | 2016 | WR | 1966–1969 |
| Jethro Pugh
| DT | rowspan = 2 | 1961–1964 |
| Otis Taylor
| FL |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Emmitt Thomas†
| CB | Bishop | 1962–1965 |
| Lloyd C. A. Wells
| Contributor | colspan = 2 | N/A |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Aeneas Williams†
| Southern | 1989–1990 |
| Parnell Dickinson
| rowspan = 6 | 2017 | QB | 1972–1975 |
| Harold Jackson
| WR | 1964–1967 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Billy Joe§
| HC | Cheyney, Central State, Florida A&M, Miles | 1972–1978, 1981–1993, 1994–2004, 2008–2010 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Gary "Big Hands" Johnson§
| DT | 1971–1974 |
| Robert Porcher
| DE | Tennessee State, South Carolina State | 1988–1989, 1990–1991 |
| Isiah Robertson
| LB | Southern | rowspan = 2 | 1967–1970 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Harold Carmichael†
| rowspan = 7 | 2018 | WR | Southern |
| Raymond Chester
| TE | 1966–1969 |
| Bill Hayes
| HC | Winston-Salem State, North Carolina A&T | 1976–1987, 1988–2002 |
| Thomas Henderson
| LB | Langston | 1971–1974 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Leo Lewis§ {{efn|He is also member of Canadian Football Hall of Fame.}}
| RB | 1951–1954 |
| Greg Lloyd
| LB | 1983–1986 |
| Everson Walls
| 1977–1980 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Emerson Boozer§
| rowspan = 7 | 2019 | RB | 1962–1965 |
| Hugh Douglas
| rowspan = 2 | DE | 1992–1994 |
| Rich Jackson
| Southern | 1962–1965 |
| Frank Lewis
| WR | 1967–1970 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Ace Mumford§
| HC | Jarvis Christian, Bishop, Texas College, Southern | 1924–1926, 1927–1929, 1931–1935, 1936–1961 |
| Timmy Newsome
| RB | 1976–1979 |
| John Taylor
| WR | 1983–1985 |
| Earl "Air" Harvey
| rowspan = 6 | 2020 | QB | 1985–1988 |
| James Hunter
| CB | 1972–1975 |
| Robert Mathis
| DE | 1999–2002 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Joe Taylor§
| HC | Howard, Virginia Union, Hampton, Florida A&M | 1983, 1984–1991, 1992–2007, 2008–2012 |
| Dennis Thomas
| Contributor | colspan = 2 | N/A |
| Erik Williams
| OT | 1987–1990 |
| Coy Bacon
| rowspan = 6 | 2021 | 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 | 1972–1975 |
| Jimmie Giles
| TE | 1973–1976 |
| style="background:#FFC40C" | Winston Hill†
| 1959–1962 |
| Roynell Young
| 1977–1979 |
| Ben Coates
| rowspan="7" |2022 |TE |1987–1990 |
| Donald Driver
|WR |1995–1998 |
| John "Big Train" Moody
|RB |1939–1941 |
| Roscoe Nance
|Contributor | colspan="2" |N/A |
| Nate Newton
|OL |1979–1982 |
| style="background:lightgreen" |Billy Nicks§
|Coach |Morris Brown College, Prairie View A&M |1930–1965 |
| Sammy White
|WR |1972–1975 |
| Leslie Frazier
| rowspan="8" |2023 |DB |1977–1980 |
| Henry Lawrence
|OT |1970–1973 |
| Albert Lewis
|CB |1979–1982 |
| Jim Marsalis
|CB |1965–1968 |
| style="background:lightgreen" |Tyrone McGriff§
|OL |1976–1979 |
| Elijah Pitts
|HB |1957–1960 |
| Pete Richardson
|Coach |Southern, Winston-Salem State |1988–2009 |
| Johnnie Walton
|QB |1965–1968 |
| Joe "747" Adams
| rowspan="7" |2024 |QB |1977–1980 |
| Antoine Bethea
|S |2002–2005 |
| Waymond Bryant
|LB |1970–1973 |
| style="background:lightgreen" | Kevin Dent§
|S |1985–1988 |
| Richard Huntley
|RB |1992–1995 |
| Eddie Hurt
|Coach |1929–1959 |
| Lemar Parrish
|CB |1966–1969 |
| Henry Dyer
| rowspan="6" |2025 |FB |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 |1999–2002 |
| Jacquay Nunnally
|WR |1997–2000 |
| Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
|CB |2004–2007 |
| Jay “Sky” Walker
|QB |1991–1993 |
Inductees by school
| class="wikitable sortable"
! College ! Number |
| Grambling State
| 16 |
| Tennessee State
|11 |
| Florida A&M
| rowspan="2" |10 |
| Jackson State |
| Southern
| 8 |
| Alcorn State
| rowspan="2" | 6 |
| Morgan State |
| Prairie View A&M
| rowspan="2" |5 |
| South Carolina State |
| Howard
| rowspan="4" |4 |
| Maryland State |
| Mississippi Valley State |
| Winston-Salem State |
| Central State
| rowspan="2" | 3 |
| Texas Southern |
| Alabama A&M
| rowspan="12" | 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
| rowspan="16" |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
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://www.blackcollegefootballhof.org}}
Category:African Americans and sport
Category:American football museums and halls of fame
Category:College football awards
Category:College sports halls of fame in the United States
Category:Black college football