In a show of support, over 50 former football legends from 25 Historically Black Colleges and Universities united to endorse the Harris-Walz ticket ahead of the November election. The group, including Pro Football Hall of Famers and Super Bowl MVPs, calls on citizens to mobilize their voices in the upcoming presidential election.
In a statement released on May 26, 2024, Vice President Harris, who is a proud alumnus of Howard University, emphasized the importance of HBCUs as centers of academic excellence and community leadership. “For generations, these anchors of our communities have played a pivotal role in building and contributing to America’s leadership at home and abroad. Today, graduates from our Nation’s more than 100 HBCUs are in every room where important decisions are made –leading in our schools, hospitals, courtrooms, boardrooms, and at the highest levels of government. And as we look forward, we know that our HBCUs will continue to prepare young leaders to build a better, more just future for our country and the world,” said Harris.
Encouraging Voter Participation
Among the legendary endorsers are notable figures such as Joe “747” Adams (Tennessee State), Richard Dent (Tennessee State, Super Bowl XX MVP), and Doug Williams (Grambling State, the first Black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl). Their collective voice aims to inspire other citizens to actively participate in the democratic process.
While endorsing the Harris-Walz ticket, the former athletes stressed the importance of independent scrutiny, urging voters to study the candidates and issues carefully. “We encourage all citizens to study the candidates and issues and make their own judgments. We have done so and are inspired and proud of the leadership that President Harris and Vice-President Walz will provide,” they proclaimed.
The endorsement is timely, coinciding with National Black Voter Day, an initiative designed to engage and mobilize the Black community in the electoral process. Team Harris-Walz is spearheading various voter registration events on HBCU campuses and in critical battleground states.
This endorsement also comes as Vice President Harris has actively engaged with key demographics, including a recent roundtable discussion with the National Association of Black Journalists, where she highlighted her agenda focused on the upliftment of Black men and communities.
The 52 HBCU football legends endorsing the Harris-Walz ticket:
Joe “747” Adams (Tennessee St.)
Willard Bailey (Head Coach At Virginia Union, Norfolk St. & Virginia-Lynchburg)
Antoine Bethea (Howard)
Mel Blount (Southern, Pro Football Hall Of Fame)
Emerson Boozer (Maryland Eastern Shore)
Robert Brazile (Jackson St., Pro Football Hall Of Fame)
Waymond Bryant (Tennessee St.)
Harold Carmichael (Southern, Pro Football Hall Of Fame)
Harry Carson (South Carolina St., Pro Football Hall Of Fame)
Raymond Chester (Morgan St.)
Ben Coates (Livingstone)
Greg Coleman (Florida A&M, First Black Punter In NFL)
Kevin Dent (Jackson St.)
Richard Dent (Tennessee St., Pro Football Hall Of Fame, Super Bowl XX MVP)
Parnell Dickinson (Mississippi Valley St.)
Donald Driver (Alcorn St.)
Leslie Frazier (Alcorn St., Former Head Coach Of The Minnesota Vikings)
Jimmie Giles (Alcorn St.)
James “Shack” Harris (Grambling St., First Black Full-Time Starting NFL QB)
Bill Hayes (Head Coach At Winston-Salem St. & North Carolina A&T)
Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson (Langston)
Kenny Houston (Prairie View A&M, Pro Football Hall Of Fame)
Richard Huntley (Winston-Salem St.)
Harold Jackson (Jackson St.)
Richard “Tombstone” Jackson (Southern)
Willie Jeffries (Head Coach At South Carolina St. & Howard)
Billy Joe (Head Coach At Central St., Miles & Florida A&M)
Ed “Too Tall” Jones (Tennessee St., #1 Overall Pick In The 1974 NFL Draft)
Willie Lanier (Morgan St., Pro Football Hall Of Fame, First Black Starting MLB in NFL)
Henry Lawrence (Florida A&M)
Albert Lewis (Grambling St.)
Frank Lewis (Grambling St.)
Jim Marsalis (Tennessee St.)
Charlie Neal (Legendary HBCU Broadcaster)
Timmy Newsome (Winston-Salem St.)
Nate Newton (Florida A&M)
Lemar Parrish (Lincoln, Mo.)
Robert Porcher Iii (South Carolina St.)
Pete Richardson (Head Coach At Winston-Salem St. & Southern)
Art Shell (Maryland Eastern Shore, Pro Football Hall Of Fame, First Black NFL Head Coach)
Donnie Shell (South Carolina St., Pro Football Hall Of Fame)
Jackie Slater (Jackson St., Pro Football Hall Of Fame)
Torrance Smalls (Alcorn St.)
Joe Taylor (Head Coach At Howard, Virginia Union, Hampton & Florida A&M)
Dr. Dennis Thomas (Former Meac Commissioner)
Willie Totten (Mississippi Valley St.)
Johnny Walton (Elizabeth City St.)
Everson Walls (Grambling St.)
Sammy White (Grambling St.)
Doug Williams (Grambling St., First Black QB To Start, Win & Named MVP Of A Super Bowl)
Erik Williams (Central St.)
Roynell Young (Alcorn St.)
These HBCU football legends join a list of athletes supporting the Harris-Walz ticket, including Steph Curry and Magic Johnson.
