December 14, 1939 Ernest Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, was born in New Salem, Pennsylvania, but raised in Elmira, New York. Davis attended Syracuse University where he was a running back from 1959 to 1961, winning first team All-American honors in 1960 and 1961 and earning the nickname “the Elmira […]
Tag Archives | College Football Hall of Fame
March 16th in African American History – Ozzie Newsome, Jr.
March 16, 1956 Ozzie Newsome, Jr., hall of fame football player, was born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Newsome played college football at the University of Alabama and was an All-American in 1977. He earned his bachelor’s degree in recreation administration in 1978. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 1978 NFL Draft and […]
February 13th in African American History – Edward Gay Robinson
February 13, 1919 Edward Gay Robinson, hall of fame football coach, was born in Jackson, Louisiana. Robinson earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Leland College in 1941 and in 1954 earned his Master of Arts degree from the University of Iowa.
January 4th in African American History – Willie Jeffries
January 4, 1937 Willie Jeffries, the first African American head football coach at a NCAA Division 1-A college, was born in Union, South Carolina. Jeffries began his coaching career at his alma mater, South Carolina State University, in 1973. In 1979, he became the head football coach at Division 1-A Wichita State University, a position […]
November 28th in African American History – Ernest Davis
November 28, 1961 Ernest Davis became the first African American to be awarded the Heisman Trophy as college football’s top player of the year. Davis was born December 14, 1939 in New Salem, Pennsylvania, but raised in Elmira, New York. He attended Syracuse University where he was a running back from 1959 to 1961, winning […]
November 5th in African American History – Kellen Boswell Winslow
November 5, 1957 Kellen Boswell Winslow, hall of fame football player, was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Winslow played college football at the University of Missouri and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in counseling psychology. He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the 1979 NFL Draft and over his nine season professional […]
October 20th in African American History – Lee Roy Selmon
October 20, 1954 Lee Roy Selmon, hall of fame football player, was born in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Selmon played college football at the University of Oklahoma where he was an All-American in 1974 and 1975. In 1975, he won the Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy as the best college football lineman in the country. Selmon […]