UNSCRIPTED: George Taliaferro Former Indiana University QB & the First African American to be drafted by the NFL!
Unscripted By Keith Edmonds
FWIS Contributing Writer
“The thing that I liked most about football was hitting people. It allowed me to vent my frustration with being discriminated against in the United States.” Words spoken by...
Did you know that Indiana University’s George Taliaferro was the first African American player drafted by the NFL and the first African American to play quarterback, establishing himself as a pioneer in professional football? That’s right! He played a key role in IU’s undefeated season and Big Ten championship in 1945, during a time when many universities did not have Black players on their teams or placed them behind white starters. Taliaferro later achieved notable career statistics as a member of professional teams including the New York Yankees, Dallas Texans, Baltimore Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles. Despite his athletic achievements, he faced ongoing segregation and discrimination. His prominence provided an avenue to address oppression and collaborate with other influential figures such as Joe Louis, Nat King Cole, Muhammad Ali, and Congressman John Lewis. The book "Race and Football in America" recounts Taliaferro's experiences and those of other athletes of color who were recognized for their talents yet faced adversity due to racial bias, highlighting their continued pursuit of equality and opportunity. In today’s UNSCRIPTED, I want to briefly share his story with you and how his contributions impacted collegiate and professional athletics.
George Taliaferro is recognized as an outstanding football player who achieved significant accomplishments during his tenure at Indiana University. However, aspects of George Taliaferro's personal experiences and the numerous challenges he faced at IU are less widely acknowledged. As I looked further into his distinguished career and the sacrifices he made, I discovered many compelling truths that provided new insights into his life. For example, when George arrived at IU in 1945, he was not permitted to swim in the pool, reside in the dormitories, or eat in the cafeteria. He was allowed to attend movies (only on weekends) and had to sit in the balcony, separated from white people. Now how many of us would have been able to endure that kind of scrutiny and still try to attend classes and be a part of the athletic program? George had a difficult relationship with his father but one that he later appreciated. His father, who only had a 4th grade education in rural Gates, Tennessee, once asked him during a phone call “George why are you at Indiana University?” George thought about it for a moment and then remembered all of the lessons he learned growing up in Tennessee and the two strong messages that his parents always shared. “George, we love you, and you must be educated.” That resonated with him throughout his time at IU. Through all of the tumultuous times of being segregated, throughout all of the times he had to take a back seat to his fellow students including being one of 66 recruits to enter the armed services in 1946 only to be shuttled in a weapons carrier to Fort Benjamin Harrison while his fellow recruits rode the bus. Taliaferro made a name for himself being the best football player that folks had ever seen! He continued to win championship after championship! When people asked, “George what position did you play in college?” His response was “I played EVERYTHING! I am the only professional football player to ever play in the NFL and play seven positions — running back, quarterback, punter, wide receiver, punt returner, kickoff returner, and cornerback. I enjoyed playing football that much!”
George always had a dream of playing for his favorite team the Chicago Bears an upon being drafted by the Bears in 1949 (making him the first African -American ever selected) he did not get the opportunity to play for his beloved Bears as he’d agreed to play in the American Football Conference for the Los Angeles Dons who’d opened their doors to black players some years earlier and George had given his word to suit up for them. He ended up playing 7 seasons of professional football and made the Pro Bowl 6 times! He became a volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Baltimore, got his master’s in social work at Howard University, and became the Dean of Students at Morgan State University.
He met Bob Knight, and they became close but then grew apart as George became very disturbed by Knight’s behaviors and gave away a signed ball once given to him by Coach Knight. He credits his wife Viola (who became an attorney) as the smartest woman that he knows and ended his life well-lived October 8, 2018, at the age of 91.
Remember the movie theater where he experienced segregation, and was required to sit in the balcony to watch movies? On his final day at Indiana University, he brought his ticket and a screwdriver, and went upstairs not to view a film, but to address the discrimination he faced. In broad daylight, he removed two screws and took down the sign designating the area for COLORED ONLY. He then sat downstairs and watched a movie. This significant act by George Taliaferro exemplifies his commitment to equality and is why his legacy is celebrated by UNSCRIPTED today!