IRVING, Texas (Feb. 26, 2021) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) and the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta recapped their initiatives during 2021 Black History Month, including a special exhibit at the Hall, a web series, a panel event and a Q&A series with members of the NFF Board of Directors.
The NFF kicked off the month with a special three-minute video tribute with insights from several of the Black pioneers who played college football, including College Football Hall of Fame inductees Jim Brown (Syracuse), Sam Cunningham (Southern California), Thom Gatewood (Notre Dame), Jerry LeVias (SMU), Don McPherson (Syracuse), Fritz Pollard (Brown), Coach Eddie Robinson (Grambling), George Taliaferro (Indiana), John Wooten (Colorado) and several other national leaders.
Throughout the month of February, the NFF released a series of Q&As with members of the NFF Board who shared their insights about Black History, social injustice in our country and their experiences on the gridiron. (Click name to read.)
- Ray Anderson, Arizona State University vice president for athletics, former Stanford football player
- Thom Gatewood, Blue Atlas Production president, Hall of Fame inductee from Notre Dame
- Archie Griffin, Ohio State senior advisor for Advancement (Ret.), Hall of Fame inductee from Ohio State
- Lincoln Kennedy, restauranter and broadcaster, Hall of Fame inductee from Washington
- Ronnie Lott, Lott Auto Ventures managing partner, Hall of Fame inductee from Southern California
- Lynn Swann, Swann, Inc., president, Hall of Fame inductee from Southern California
- Dennis Thomas, MEAC commissioner, former Alcorn State football player
- Rod West, Entergy Corporation group president, former Notre Dame football player
The Hall of Fame in Atlanta kicked off the month opening,
Blood, Sweat and Tears, a new specially curated exhibit that will continue through August 2021. The exhibit tells the story of the integration of college football, diving into the journey of African-American trailblazers that changed the landscape of the sport.
The Hall also hosted a web series on YouTube, Not Your Average Hero, featuring interviews conducted by Hall Historian Jeremy Swick with legendary college football pioneers including (Click name to watch):
The Hall
concluded the month with a special panel Feb. 18 on site in a COVID-friendly environment with Terry LeCount (University of Florida), Gerald Butler (Nicholls State University) and Hubert Owens (Mississippi Valley State University). A replay of the
Feb. 18 panel as well as all of the Hall’s interviews can be watched on the
CFBHall YouTube Channel, and the NFF’s tribute video along with other great content can be enjoyed on the
NFFonDemand YouTube Channel.
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