The Black College Football Hall of Fame Released the Finalists for The Class of 2017

The wait is over and the finalists have been selected. The Black College Hall of Fame finalists were comprised from over 175 nominees that represent Super Bowl Champions, AFL/NFL All-Star selections and 19 Black College Football National Champions.
 
From that list, 25 Finalists were selected. The list includes 20 players and five coaches. This year’s inductees will be announced on Oct. 26, 2016.
 
Following the announcement, The Black College Hall of Fame will host the Induction Ceremony on Feb. 25, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia.
 
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is proud to partner with the Black College Hall of Fame, serving as a permanent home in Canton, Ohio. This exhibit is a part of the new Hall of Fame Village, a $500 million development of the PFHOF’s campus.
 
“So many members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and countless numbers of their teammates had a road to greatness paved through Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” Hall of Fame President David Baker shared. “Their journey is an important part of the history of the Game that must not be forgotten. This partnership with the Black College Football Hall of Fame will provide insight into what shaped the lives of this Game and will serve as great inspiration to generation of fans.”
 
The Black College Hall of Fame Selection Committee is composed of prominent journalists, commentators, historians, former NFL General Managers and football executives.

For more information, please visit www.BlackCollegeFootballHOF.org.

PLAYER FINALISTS

• Joe “747” Adams (QB, Tennessee State University, 1977-1980)
• Coy Bacon (DL, Jackson State University, 1964-1967)
• Emerson Boozer (RB, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 1962-1965)
• Harold Carmichael (WR, Southern University, 1967-1970)
• Raymond Chester (TE, Morgan State University, 1966-1969)
• Parnell “Paydirt” Dickinson (QB, Mississippi Valley State University, 1972-1975)
• Earl “Air” Harvey (QB, North Carolina Central University, 1985-1988)
• James Hunter (DB, Grambling State University, 1972-1975)
• Harold Jackson (WR, Jackson State University, 1965-1968)
• Gary “Big Hands” Johnson (DL, Grambling State University, 1971-1974)
• Henry Lawrence (OL, Florida A&M University, 1970-1973)
• Greg Lloyd (LB, Fort Valley State University, 1983-1986)
• Leo “Lincoln Locomotive” Lewis (RB, Lincoln University, 1951-1954)
• Frank Lewis (WR, Grambling State University, 1967-1970)
• Tyrone McGriff (OL, Florida A&M University, 1976-1979)
• Timothy Newsome (RB/KR, Winston Salem State University, 1976-1979)
• Robert Porcher (DL, Tennessee State and South Carolina State University, 1988-1991)
• Isiah Robertson (DB/LB, Southern University, 1967-1970)
• John Taylor, (WR, Delaware State University, 1982-1985)
• Everson Walls (DB, Grambling State University, 1977-1980)

COACH FINALISTS

• Bill Hayes (Head Football Coach, Winston Salem State 1976-1987, North Carolina A&T 1988-2003)
• Billy Joe (Head Football Coach, Cheyney University 1972-1978, Central State University 1981-1993, Florida A&M University 1994-2004, Miles College 2007-2010)
• Arnett “Ace” Mumford (Head Football Coach, Jarvis Christian 1924-1926, Bishop College 1927-1929, Texas College 1931-1935, Southern University 1936-1961)
• Doug Porter (Mississippi Valley State University 1961-1965, Howard University 1974-1978, Fort Valley State University 1979-1996)
• Joe Taylor (Howard University 1983, Virginia Union 1984-1991, Hampton University 1992-2007, Florida A&M University 2008-2012)