Grambling's 'Harris-Williams Field' Naming Is About Respect For Our HBCU Legends

Honoring James "Shack" Harris and Doug Williams is about respecting their impact on sports and the lives of student-athletes.

Grambling State University has a tremendous legacy in black college sports.  The remarkable accomplishments of coach Eddie G. Robinson transcended black college football to impact sports across all levels.  His influence shaped the lives of many athletes, fans, and mere observers on and off the gridiron.

Despite their Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement of Paul "Tank" Younger, Buck Buchanan, Willie Davis, and Charlie Joiner, Grambling State hasn't monumentalized these legendary athletes.  Recently, alumni brought forth the conversation on these men.  HBCU Sports founder Kenn Rashad, also an alum, posted a video titled "Grambling is making a mistake naming football field after Doug Williams."  Surprisingly, most Grambling fans agreed with Rashad's opinion despite Williams' work for the school and HBCU sports scene.  More alarming was that no one chronicled their efforts to honor the forgotten Grambling greats.

It's been 27 years since Charlie Joiner's induction, and no efforts exist.  The Harris-Williams Field at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium recognizes two of Grambling State University's most distinguished "living" legends.  At the Homecoming event on Saturday, their tireless efforts in promoting Grambling State University and HBCU football student-athletes across the country will be remembered.  Removing Williams' name from the honor would fail to acknowledge his pioneering impact on black college and professional football.

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Examine Harris' and Williams' achievements:

1. Disciples of Coach Rob and led Grambling State as starting quarterbacks.
2. Drafted into the National Football League as quarterbacks.
3. Received honors in the NFL — Harris won the 1974 Pro Bowl MVP; Williams won Super Bowl XXII and was named the game's MVP.
4. Both remain active, supporting Grambling State University.
5. Harris was a Super Bowl-winning executive with the Baltimore Ravens, and Williams is an executive with the Washington Commanders.
6. Harris and Williams are the co-founders of the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
7. Harris and Williams are the co-founders of the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic in Canton, Ohio — created for Division II HBCU football programs.
8. Harris and Williams are the co-founders of the HBCU Legacy Bowl.
9. Their efforts have exposed young student-athletes to jobs playing for NFL teams, and the HBCU Legacy Bowl Career Fair has introduced several players and interns to jobs at the event.
10. HBCU Legacy Bowl alums have signed contracts with the NFL, USFL, XFL, and Canadian Football League teams.

The above is just a glimpse of the exceptional achievements of James "Shack" Harris and Doug Williams.  Therefore, it would be unfair to celebrate one without acknowledging the other.  We don't necessarily have to adore all our legends, but we should respect them.  If your contributions to the school and athletics are comparable to those of Mr. Harris and Mr. Williams, then your decision to dissent holds merit.  Furthermore, it's time to reconsider your viewpoint if you have yet to contact the president or athletic director, recently purchased a ticket, or give back to the school and athletics.

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I wasn't aware of honor-limits (like term-limits) existed.  If that's the case, we should have paused praising Coach Robinson years ago.  This past weekend, Jack Trice, the only black man to have a stadium named in his honor at a major football program, was honored again at Iowa State with a statue.  He played only one game for the Cyclones.  Unfortunately, he lost his life due to intentional injuries during a football game.  Later, Iowa State students fought to have him memorialized by naming the football stadium in his honor.  Few across the nation know about his story.  Like Harris, Williams, Robinson, and other greats from Grambling, he also has a legacy.

Should there be a limit on the number of times a person is honored?  If so, we should have stopped glorifying Coach Rob years ago.  Recently, Iowa State University honored Jack Trice with a statue.  He is the only black man to have a stadium named after him at a Power 5 football program.  It's worth noting that he played only one game and lost his life due to injuries inflicted by racist opponents.  Iowa State students fought for Jack Trice's legacy, a fact that is lost.  Other greats from Grambling, such as Harris, Williams, and Robinson, have left a legacy that deserves recognition.

Above all, supporting any effort to herald Younger, Buchanan, Davis, and Joiner with statues, murals, or something noteworthy on the Grambling State University campus.  Too often, our HBCU legends are honored posthumously. Harris (76) and Williams (68) deserve to see and smell their flowers today.

Kudos to Grambling for bestowing the honors of naming the football field in honor of James "Shack" Harris and Doug Williams.  They are the living legends that have transformed and impacted lives beyond the sport of football — as Coach Eddie G. Robinson did in his 51 years at the great institution of higher learning.  Honoring these legends is not a mistake. It's about respect.

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