The Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) 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. Its museum is located within the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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. The BCFHOF continues to run independently with its board of directors and choosing its inductees.

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.

Inductees

Also member of College Football and Pro Football Hall of Fame**Also member of College Football Hall of Fame §Also member of Pro Football Hall of Fame† Inductee Class Position College(s) Years Buck Buchanan** 2010 OT, DE Grambling State 1959–1962 Jake Gaither§ HC Florida A&M 1945–1969 Willie Galimore§ HB 1953–1956 Deacon Jones† DE South Carolina State, Mississippi Valley State 1958, 1960 Willie Lanier** LB, G Morgan State 1963–1966 Bill Nunn† Contributor N/A Walter Payton** RB Jackson State 1971–1974 Jerry Rice** WR Mississippi Valley State 1981–1984 Eddie Robinson§ HC Grambling State 1941–1997 Ben Stevenson§ HB Tuskegee 1923–1930 Paul "Tank" Younger§ HB, LB Grambling State 1945–1948 Earl Banks§ 2011 HC Morgan State 1960–1973 Lem Barney† CB Jackson State 1963–1966 Mel Blount† CB, S Southern 1966–1969 Rosey Brown† OT Morgan State 1949–1952 Willie Davis† OT, DE Grambling State 1952–1955 Bob Hayes† SE Florida A&M 1962–1965 Willie Jeffries§ HC South Carolina State, Howard 1973–1978; 1989–2001, 1984–1988 Joe Kendall§ HB Kentucky State 1933–1936 Collie J. Nicholson Contributor N/A Art Shell** OT Maryland State 1964–1967 Doug Williams§ QB Grambling State 1974–1977 Cleve Abbott 2012 HC Tuskegee 1923–1954 Willie Brown† SE, OLB Grambling State 1959–1962 Harry Carson** DE South Carolina State 1972–1975 Eldridge Dickey QB, P Tennessee State 1964–1967 Jackie Graves Contributor N/A James "Shack" Harris QB Grambling State 1965–1968 Claude Humphrey† DE Tennessee State 1964–1967 Steve McNair§ QB Alcorn State 1991–1994 Willie Richardson§ E Jackson State 1959–1962 Johnny Sample HB, K Maryland State 1954–1957 Rayfield Wright† FS, P, DE, TE Fort Valley State 1963–1966 Elvin Bethea† 2013 OLB North Carolina A&T 1964–1967 Charlie Brackins QB Prairie View A&M 1951–1954 Joe Gilliam Tennessee State 1968–1971 Ken Houston† S, LB Prairie View A&M 1964–1967 Charlie Joiner† WR Grambling State 1965–1968 Ed "Too Tall" Jones DT Tennessee State 1970–1973 Larry Little† OT Bethune–Cookman 1963–1966 John Merritt§ HC Jackson State, Tennessee A&I / State 1952–1962, 1963–1983 Charlie Neal Contributor N/A Shannon Sharpe† TE Savannah State 1986–1989 Jackie Slater† OT Jackson State 1973–1976 Robert Brazile† 2014 LB 1971–1974 Marino Casem§ HC Alabama State, Alcorn A&M / State, Southern 1963, 1964–1985, 1987–88; 1992 Leroy Kelly† HB Morgan State 1960–1963 John Stallworth† WR Alabama A&M 1970–1973 Michael Strahan† DE Texas Southern 1989–1992 Willie Totten§ QB Mississippi Valley State 1981–1985 Doug Wilkerson G North Carolina Central 1966–1969 Roger Brown§ 2015 DT Maryland State 1956–1959 Richard Dent† DE Tennessee State 1979–1982 W. C. Gorden§ HC Jackson State 1976–1991 L. C. Greenwood DE Arkansas AM&N 1965–1968 Ernie Ladd DT Grambling State 1957–1960Ken Riley† CB Florida A&M 1965–1968 Donnie Shell** SS South Carolina State 1970–1973 Ken Burrough 2016 WR Texas Southern 1966–1969 Jethro Pugh DT Elizabeth City State 1961–1964 Otis Taylor FL Prairie View A&M Emmitt Thomas† CB Bishop 1962–1965 Lloyd C. A. Wells Contributor N/A Aeneas Williams† CB, FS Southern 1989–1990 Parnell Dickinson 2017 QB Mississippi Valley State 1972–1975 Harold Jackson WR Jackson State 1964–1967 Billy Joe§ HC Cheyney, Central State, Florida A&M, Miles 1972–1978, 1981–1993, 1994–2004, 2008–2010 Gary "Big Hands" Johnson§ DT Grambling State 1971–1974 Robert Porcher DE Tennessee State, South Carolina State 1988–1989, 1990–1991 Isiah Robertson LB Southern 1967–1970 Harold Carmichael† 2018 WR Raymond Chester TE Morgan State 1966–1969 Bill Hayes HC Winston-Salem State, North Carolina A&T 1976–1987, 1988–2002 Thomas Henderson LB Langston 1971–1974 Leo Lewis§ RB Lincoln (MO) 1951–1954 Greg Lloyd LB Fort Valley State 1983–1986 Everson Walls CB, S Grambling State 1977–1980 Emerson Boozer§ 2019 RB Maryland State 1962–1965 Hugh Douglas DE Central State 1992–1994 Rich Jackson Southern 1962–1965 Frank Lewis WR Grambling State 1967–1970 Ace Mumford§ HC Jarvis Christian, Bishop, Texas College, Southern 1924–1926, 1927–1929, 1931–1935, 1936–1961 Timmy Newsome RB Winston-Salem State 1976–1979 John Taylor WR Delaware State 1983–1985 Earl "Air" Harvey 2020 QB North Carolina Central 1985–1988 James Hunter CB Grambling State 1972–1975 Robert Mathis DE Alabama A&M 1999–2002 Joe Taylor§ HC Howard, Virginia Union, Hampton, Florida A&M 1983, 1984–1991, 1992–2007, 2008–2012 Dennis Thomas§ Contributor N/A Erik Williams OT Central State 1987–1990 Coy Bacon 2021 DE, DT Jackson State 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 Florida A&M 1972–1975 Jimmie Giles TE Alcorn State 1973–1976 Winston Hill† OT, DT Texas Southern 1959–1962 Roynell Young S, CB Alcorn State 1977–1979Ben Coates2022TELivingstone College1987–1990Donald DriverWRAlcorn State1995–1998John "Big Train" MoodyRBMorris Brown College1939–1941Roscoe NanceContributorN/ANate NewtonOLFlorida A&M1979–1982Billy Nicks§CoachMorris Brown College, Prairie View A&M1930–1965Sammy WhiteWRGrambling State1972–1975Leslie Frazier2023DBAlcorn State1977–1980Henry LawrenceOTFlorida A&M1970–1973Albert LewisCBGrambling State1979–1982Jim MarsalisCBTennessee State1965–1968Tyrone McGriff§OLFlorida A&M1976–1979Elijah PittsHBPhilander Smith College1957–1960Pete RichardsonCoachSouthern, Winston-Salem State1988–2009Johnnie WaltonQBElizabeth City State1965–1968Joe "747" Adams2024Tennessee State1977–1980Antoine BetheaSHoward2002–2005Waymond BryantLBTennessee State1970–1973 Kevin Dent§SJackson State1985–1988Richard HuntleyRBWinston-Salem State1992–1995Eddie HurtCoachMorgan State1929–1959Lemar ParrishCBLincoln1966–1969Henry Dyer2025FBGrambling State1962–1965Fred “Pop” LongHCPaul Quinn, Wiley, Prairie View A&M, Texas College1921–1922, 1923–1947; 1956–1965, 1948, 1949–1954Rashean MathisCBBethune-Cookman1999–2002Jacquay NunnallyWRFlorida A&M1997–2000Dominique Rodgers-CromartieCBTennessee State 2004–2007Jay “Sky” WalkerQBHoward1991–1993Nick Collins2026SBethune-Cookman2002–2004 Rudy Hubbard§HCFlorida A&M1974–1985Tyrone Poole CBFort Valley State1999–2002Eddie Robinson Jr.Alabama State1988–1991Jimmy SmithWRJackson State 1987–1991Steve WycheContributorN/A Source:

Inductees by school

College Number Grambling State 16 Florida A&M11 Jackson State Tennessee State Southern 8 Alcorn State 6 Morgan State Prairie View A&M5 South Carolina State Howard4 Maryland State Mississippi Valley State Winston-Salem State Bethune–Cookman 3 Central State Fort Valley State Texas Southern Alabama A&M 2 Alabama State Bishop Elizabeth City State Lincoln (MO) Morris Brown North Carolina A&T North Carolina Central Texas College Tuskegee Virginia Union Arkansas–Pine Bluff1 Cheyney Hampton Jarvis Christian Kentucky State Langston Livingstone Miles Norfolk StatePaul Quinn Philander Smith Saint Paul's (VA) Savannah State Virginia–LynchburgWiley

See also College Football Hall of Fame

Notes

References

External links