CANTON, Ohio—For more than 100 years, historically black colleges & universities have showcased their talents and culture during football games.
- The first-ever Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic will be played in Canton, Ohio this weekend
- Alabama A&M University takes on Morehouse College
- Celebrates the culture, heritage and athleticism of historically black universities
“It’s the game, it’s the halftime show, it’s the entertainment that goes around it, it’s the showtime piece,” said Al Wash, Classic game promoter.
For the first time this weekend, the experience comes together at the inaugural Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic.
Alabama A&M University will take on Morehouse College at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in Canton, where the NFL was born.
“It’s an ideal for it to be played, it’s like history in a historical spot, you can’t beat this game nowhere in the country, it’s history,” said Wash.
“September 17th of 1920, there were ten teams that came together that became 14 teams that formed what is the National Football League, and we’re beginning its hundredth season this year,” said David Baker, president/CEO, Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Pro Football Hall of Fame President and CEO David Baker, says it wasn’t always a level playing field for black athletes.
“They couldn’t go to white colleges, so there is a whole era of football where young African American men, many of whom didn’t get a chance to come to the NFL.”
“Now, more than 10 percent of the players that are enshrined here at the Pro Football Hall of Fame went to historically black colleges and universities, and so the missions just aligned, so what a better way to kick off and tell their stories, right here in Canton, Ohio,” said Adrian Allison, Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“We feel it’s a real honor to host these historical black colleges,” said Baker.
Proceeds from Sunday’s game will help create and operate the Black College Football Hall of Fame, which will be housed on the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s campus… a mission that organizer Adrian Allison says the community supports.
“They have come together to help us promote it, to help sell tickets, but more importantly to shine a bright light here on Canton, about diversity and inclusion and all of us coming together to make a successful event,” said Allison.
Promoter Al Wash, who has promoted hundreds of classics, says this one is one of the most special to him…and he already has plans to keep it going.
“Next year, we’ll have Central State and Howard, and the year after that we’ll have Gramlin and Tennessee State,” said Wash.
The Classic game will be broadcast nationally on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on the NFL Network and will be the featured HBCU game on Sirius XM radio.