College Football Hall of Fame Commemorates Wyoming Black 14, Welcomes Three Members to Capital of College Football for the Hall’s Black History Month Celebration

The College Football Hall of Fame is honored to announce its upcoming collaborative efforts with three members of the Wyoming Black 14, a group of African American football players who stood up against injustice by fighting for their right to express themselves politically at a pivotal moment in both societal and college football history. The partnership between the Hall of Fame and the Wyoming Black 14 members will include a two-day “event series,” as well as a temporary display dedicated to the group and their monumental efforts as part of the Hall’s observance of Black History Month.

The highlight of the events will take place from 10:30am – 12:30pm on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at the College Football Hall of Fame, when the public is invited to view a free screening of the short film "The Black 14: Healing Hearts and Feeding Souls,” which was produced by BYU students and chronicles the Wyoming Black 14's story. This free to attend screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Wyoming Black 14 members Tony McGee, John Griffin, and Mel Hamilton. A similar panel event will take place on Monday night at the Auburn Avenue Research Library and will be moderated by Dr. Stephanie Dunn from Morehouse College.

“We are grateful for the College Football Hall of Fame’s partnership in our endeavors, offering a platform to share our story and continue the dialogue on unity and progress,” said Wyoming Black 14 member John Griffin. “These are wonderful moments that allow us to reflect on our shared journey while honoring our past, educating the present, and inspiring the future.”

On Monday, February 5, the Wyoming Black 14 will donate forty-thousand pounds of non-perishable food items to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, made possible through a collaborative effort with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This donation will bring the group’s donation total to over 800,000 pounds of food to various food banks across the country over the past four years and will feature volunteers from the College Football Hall of Fame to assist with this impactful event.

"We are incredibly honored to host the three members of the Wyoming Black 14 and share their story with our visitors during Black History Month," said Kimberly Beaudin, President and CEO of the College Football Hall of Fame. "Their resilience and bravery during a pivotal moment in both societal and college football history serve as an inspiration, and we are privileged to provide a platform for their narrative."

The group’s compelling story will be showcased in a temporary display on the second floor of the Hall of Fame, next to the permanent “Southern Company Celebrating HBCUs” exhibit and will be presented in engaging infographics alongside relevant artifacts such as a Wyoming 14 Armband, Black 14 Banner, 1969 Wyoming vs BYU game program, Joe Tasby’s Idaho helmet and jersey, and much more. Presented in collaboration with the Black 14 Philanthropy, Auburn Avenue Research Library, and Brigham Young University School of Communications, visitors will have the opportunity to delve into this significant piece of history and learn more about the Wyoming Black 14 throughout the entirety of Black History Month.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Trevor Bowden

trevor@babbitbodner.com

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About the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame

The Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame is a 94,256-square-foot attraction located in the heart of Atlanta's sports, entertainment and tourism district. Adjacent to the Georgia World Congress Center and Centennial Olympic Park, the Hall provides visitors with a highly immersive, interactive and engaging experience using a blend of historic college football artifacts and state-of-the-art, interactive multimedia exhibits. The National Football Foundation (NFF) launched the Hall in 1951 to stand as one of the nation's premier sports shrines, immortalizing the game’s greatest players and coaches as positive role models for future generations. Atlanta Hall Management, Inc., partnered with the NFF to construct and operate the Hall of Fame attraction, which provides a platform for community outreach, education and character development initiatives, as well as serves as one of Atlanta’s premier special event spaces. For more information, please visit www.cfbhall.com.