Wrap 3: The Exhibit

I recently visited The History of Black College Football exhibit at The College Football Hall of Fameand found it to be rich with history, memorabilia and audio/video footage of Historically Black College and University (HBCU) football greats like Ronnie McCollough, Willie Lanier and Walter Payton.  

HBCU’s were established on the premise that education is the road to freedom, and that African-Americans should pursue higher educations and instigate social change by challenging “white-only” establishments in every area of life; this pursuit of change included sports.

During the 1880’s sports at HCBU’s were intramural/recreational. Intramural sports are designed to promote participation through sports to help develop friendships among fellow students. Unfortunately, HBCU’s at that time did not have available funding for building athletic interests; funding was primarily used for purchasing books and paying the salaries of teachers.

Nonetheless interests in sports continued and in 1912 The Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) was created on the campus of Hampton Institute (Hampton University). This is the oldest African-American athletic conference in the United States whose legacy goes back to 1892 when Livingstone College and Biddle University (Johnson C. Smith University) played in the first football game played by two HBCU’s. W.J. Trent and J.W. Walker, both players with Livingstone College, had dual roles as manager and captain during the game.

W. J. Trent and J. W. Walker were instrumental in developing intercollegiate football games among “Negro” colleges. Trent and Walker, along with nine other men, worked toward securing regulation footballs and uniforms for the players; they wanted the first intercollegiate football game to be something that they all could be proud of.  

Today the meeting of HBCU college football teams are called “Classics“.  The HBCU Classics began in 1924 when Alabama State College (Alabama State University) and Tuskegee Institute (Tuskegee University) met in the Turkey Day Classic held in Montgomery, Alabama. Classics give rival teams an opportunity to go “head-to-head” in earning “bragging rights” to be the best athletes of HBCU’s. Classics are generally held around Labor Day and Thanksgiving but aren’t limited to these holidays.

Collegeview lists the largest of these traditional rivalries. Below are just a few of the Classics that HBCU’s host each year:

·        Jackson State vs. Tennessee State (Southern Heritage Classic)

·        Prairie View A&M vs. Grambling State (State Fair Classic)

·        Morehouse vs. Tuskegee (Morehouse-’Skegee Classic)

·        Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M (Magic City Classic)

·        Jackson State vs. Alcorn State (Capital City Classic)

·        Grambling State vs. Southern (Bayou Classic)

·        Florida A&M vs. Bethune Cookman (Florida Classic).

The Circle City Classicheld in Indianapolis, Indiana every October was created as “a celebration of cultural excellence and academic achievement while showcasing the spirit, energy and tradition of America’s HBCU’s”. On average, over 175,000 participants attend this event in support of the HBCU football tradition.

There can be no doubt that African-Americans and HBCU’s have significantly contributed to the sport of football, past and present. I thoroughly enjoyed The College Football Hall of Fame’s effort in showcasing the many talents and triumphs of the African-American athlete.

Please stay tuned for ongoing HBCU Football Wraps that will include pictures, trivia, thoughts on the significance of Black marching bands, racism as it relates to football, and resources that can assist you in learning more about HBCU sports and the Black College Experience!

“In one of the paradoxes of race in America, segregation afforded opportunities in sports , as well as business, academia and the ministry, for a Black middle class to develop and operate its own institutions.”

                                                                                     -Samuel J. Freedman

Add a comment April 20, 2008

Wrap 2: The History of Black College Football Exhibit at The College Football Hall of Fame (Final Revision)

The College Football Hall of Fame is hosting an exhibit called Blood, Sweat and Tears:The History of Black College Football from now until August 31, 2008. The exhibit will chronicle the history of Black college football by engaging visitors to recognize the struggles, hard work, and triumphs of these athletes and their coaches; through their perseverance and love of the sport, they helped integrate society by creating an atmostphere of sportsmanship and excitement.

In addition, groundbreaking contributions made by African-American football players who attended [white] colleges and universities is highlighted. Players like Paul Robeson (Rutgers University) and Duke Slater (Iowa University) were frequently subjected to racism and discrimation; instead of becoming victims of Jim Crow, they triumphed by speaking out against a racist system that sought to ignore the civil rights of African-Americans.

In addition to the Blood, Sweat and Tears exhibit, there are many books available about the history of Black college football.  Listed below are two such resources that are sure to give the reader insight to the Black college football experience.

Charles K. Ross, author of Outside the Lines: African-Americans and the Integration of the National Football League,argues that “sports laid a foundation to social change long before our judicial system formally recognized the inequalities of racial seperation. Although Jackie Robinson’s 1947 debut into the major leagues was the most highly touted and important event in the integration of American professional sports, Robinson’s pioneering was not an isolated incident, nor was it the first. A year before Robinson stepped onto a major league diamond, the color barrier in the National Football League (NFL) also fell.”

Michael J. Hurd, author of Black College Football, 1892-1992: One Hundred Years of History, Education and Pride  and Collie J., Grambling’s Man with the Golden Pen, chronicles the history of Black college football and how African-American athletes and their coaches continue to build traditions of pride that all sport fans can admire.

For more information on this exhibit, contact 574.235.5711 or visit the College Football Hall of Fame website at www.collegefootball.org.

Admission Costs to The College Football Hall of Fame:

Add a comment April 20, 2008

“Wrap Around” this event! (Revision 2)

Beginning Friday February 1, 2008 through Sunday August 31, 2008 The College Football Hall of Fame is sponsoring a new exhibit called Blood, Sweat and Tears: The History of Black College Football. The exhibit will feature uniforms from the top ten Black College teams, interactive trivia and video games, as well as videos of HBCU (Historically Black College and Universities) marching bands. In addition, display cases of Black college coaches, such as the late Eddie Robinson of Grambling State University, will be showcased.

 This event is extremely important as it gives credit to the many HBCU players throughout the decades that have dedicated themselves to the sport. Their dedication was not limited by Jim Crow or any other segregate system; these young men and their coaches rose above the circumstances of their times and endeavored to forge ahead in playing, and representing well, a game that they loved.

Another interesting highlight of the exhibit is the history of  how football began on the campuses of HBCU’s and how it has changed in this new millennium:

Did You Know…that the first Black College football game was held in North Carolina in 1892 between Biddle College and Livingston College?

Biddle would go on to beat Livingston College in what was sure to have been one of the most exciting events of the school year.

Did You Know…that African-American football players were almost non-existent on white campuses until the late 1950’s?

Though there were some exceptions to this rule: William Tecumseh Sherman Jackson and William Henry Lewis excelled in their studies and in football at Amherst College 1889.  Lewis would go on play for Harvard University in 1892, later becoming the first [Black] All-American.George Jewett was also the first African-American player at University of Michigan in 1890 and at Northwestern University.

George Jewett with his University of Michigan teammates. (c. 1890)

Did You Know…Ernie Davis was the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy?

President John F. Kennedy was a fan of Davis’ and sent a telegram that read:

“Seldom has an athlete been more deserving of such a tribute. Your high standards of performance on the field and off the field, reflect the finest qualities of competition, sportsmanship and citizenship. The nation has bestowed upon you its highest awards for your athletic achievements. It’s a privilege for me to address you tonight as an outstanding American, and as a worthy example of our youth. I salute you.”

Davis played for Syracuse University before being drafted by the Washington Redskins in his senior year, and later being traded to the Cleveland Browns in December of 1961. Sadly, Davis developed leukemia and died in 1962 before ever playing professional football.

What better way to give homage to the many African-Americans that have contributed to the sport of football then to have an exhibit that will showcase their  talents, but also the many trials and tribulations they endured to play the game.

Business hours for the College Football Hall of Fame:

 Thanksgiving through Memorial Day:
Monday – Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Memorial Day through Thanksgiving:
Monday – Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

If you are interested in learning more about the Blood, Sweat and Tears: The History of Black College Football exhibit, please contact 574.235.5711 or visit the College Football Hall of Fame website at www.collegefootball.org.

Add a comment April 20, 2008