Robert Grant and Kenneth "Butch" Henry Trailblazer Award
Wake Forest Athletics is excited to launch the new Robert Grant and Kenneth "Butch" Henry Trailblazer Award.
|
Director of Athletics John Currie announced creation of this award to the Wake Forest and Winston-Salem community on Monday, July 26 through his bi-weekly newsletter, From the Quad.
Quote from John Currie:
"Wake Forest University has many pioneers, but Robert Grant and Kenneth "Butch" Henry are more than pioneers...they are trailblazers! Bob and Butch were the first Black football student-athletes to enroll at a Division I institution in the South, joining the Wake Forest family in the fall of 1964. Being the first two Black football players at Wake Forest took tremendous courage. It took deep faith to believe that their teammates, the coaching staff, our University leadership and the Winston-Salem community would offer steady support during uncertain times. They were transformational leaders, displaying their abilities, talents, character and fortitude to persevere and mark trails for future student-athletes of color at Wake Forest.
"So it is fitting that with heartfelt gratitude that Wake Forest Athletics honors Bob and Butch with the newly created "Trailblazer Award," recognizing their role in integrating intercollegiate sports in the South in 1964. The new Robert Grant and Kenneth "Butch" Henry Trailblazer Award will rank among Wake Forest's signature honors, such as the Arnold Palmer, Marge Crisp and Ron & Linda Wellman Life Teammate Awards."
|
The journey Bob Grant started at Wake Forest has blazed a trail for hundreds of Black student-athletes who have followed his path.
Grant enrolled at Wake Forest in the fall of 1964 and excelled both on and off the field, eventually being drafted in the second round of the 1968 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts. He blazed a trail by becoming, along with teammates Butch Henry and Willie Smith, the first Black football players to desegregate a college football team in the South.
Quote from Bob Grant:
"Can you imagine the courage it took for Dr. Tribble, the president of the school at that time, along with Gene Hooks, who was the new athletics director, with Coach Bill Tate, in the South? At that time? In 1964? You never hear those three white men's names mentioned in regards to advances in Civil Rights during that era in the United States. You never even hear their names associated with it, but look at what they did. They made the decision. The courage it took for them as white men during that era, it's something that should be mentioned. Nobody else would do it. The people who were making threats at that time had demonstrated that they would follow through."
|
Trailblazer Kenneth “Butch” Henry was the first Black athlete to sign with Wake Forest.
Quote about Butch Henry from Jody Puckett:
"He looked like a modern-day wide receiver. Butch was about 6-foot-4, long and lean. He could really run. His first varsity game, he caught eight passes, which tied a record back then."
|
Quote from Dr. Gene Hooks:
""I did not know much about them, but the more I found out about them, the more I liked them. If there was one word to describe them, it would be class. They were both class acts. Good students, great players and good teammates. They fit what I would like Wake Forest athletes to be. They were easy to defend and help out as pioneers could be."
|
Wake Forest University President Harold Tribble summoned football coach Bill Tate to his office for a conversation that led to Wake Forest Athletics becoming standard bearers in the south for racial integration.
Quote from Coach Bill Tate:
"Dr. Tribble one day in February of 1964 called and said he wanted to talk to me. I walked over to his office for a chat. He asked me what I thought about recruiting Black athletes and I told him I was all for it."
|
The Robert Grant and Kenneth "Butch" Henry Trailblazer Award was created to recognize the significance of the first Black football players at Wake Forest University and the historical role Wake Forest Athletics played in integrating Divsion I sports in the South. Being the first Black football players took Courage to take to the field on behalf of their teammates and the Wake Forest community, despite the risks. It took deep Faith to believe that their teammates, the coaching staff, and the Wake Forest community would offer steady support during critical times. As Transformational leaders, it took Trusting in their abilities, talents and tremendous fortitude to persevere, that would set trails, often not traveled, ablaze, lighting the way and leaving paths of success for all of the athletes yet to come in the south. Hence, this award celebrates Wake Forest student-athletes, alumni, staff and community members who have blazed trails in the areas of diversity, inclusion, equity and other important social issues that better the lives of others in the Pro Humanitate tradition that is the central spirit of Wake Forest University.
Quote from Wake Forest President, Dr. Susan R. Wente:
"I sincerely admire the immense courage of Robert Grant and Kenneth "Butch" Henry. Being the first two Black football players at Wake Forest took inspiring faith to believe that our Wake Forest and Winston-Salem community would offer support as they set a path for the generations that followed. We look forward to honoring these two trailblazers and coming together for this special occasion on Nov. 12."
Trailblazer Award Committee
Phil Barnhill
- Barnhill, a former quarterback for the Demon Deacons and class of 1991 graduate, is Vice President of East Greensboro NOW, a community development corporation focused on economic development in eastern Greensboro. He currently serves on the Board of Visitors at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and is the Chief Volunteer Officer for the YMCA of Greensboro.
- Bowden, a former Wake Forest student athlete in football and 1972 graduate of Wake Forest, received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the top civilian honor bestowed by governors of North Carolina, in 2001. An attorney based in Greensboro, Bowden has served on numerous educational boards, including the University of North Carolina Board of Governors and NC A&T State University Board of Trustees. He is a former member of the Wake Forest Alumni Council and chaired the council's Education Committee.
- Wake Forest's first ever All-ACC player in women's basketball, Dr. Collins was inducted as an ACC Tournament Legend by the conference in 2015. After graduation from Wake Forest in 1986, Collins embarked on an illustrious career in journalism, working primarily as a broadcast news producer, winning multiple Emmy, Best of Gannett, Associated Press and National Association of Black Journalist awards during her career. She currently works on Inclusion measures and SDG goals across the globe as President of World Changers Media International Foundation.
- A 2015 Wake Forest Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Connor-Riddick was a standout on the hardwood for the Deacs from 1993-1997. A first-team All-ACC selection in 1996, she ranks among the top 10 in program history in career scoring average, rebounding average, field goal percentage and free throw attempts, and led the Demon Deacons in both scoring and rebounding in each of her four seasons. After graduating from Wake Forest in 1996, she later earned her degree as a Physician's Assistant from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
- Eure, a Professor of Biology at Wake Forest, was Wake Forest's first full-time Black graduate student, first Black doctoral recipient on Reynolda Campus and the first Black full-time faculty member. On Feb. 16, 2017, Eure was awarded the University's highest honor, the Medallion of Merit, for his contributions in the classroom and in the community during his career. In April of 2017, he was elected to Wake Forest's Board of Trustees, the first faculty member in modern times to serve in that role.
- Faircloth joined Wake Forest Athletics in 2002 and currently serves as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development and Sales, where he manages the development operation, ticket sales team and other revenue areas including IMG and Tailgate Guys. A 1993 Wake Forest graduate, Faircloth has managed various external areas including development, ticket operations, gift accounting, marketing and media relations.
- A former basketball and track student-athlete at Wake Forest, Kelley currently serves as a Senior Financial Advisor, Vice President at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in High Point, NC. Active in the community, Cynthia volunteers and provides educational workshops to several organizations within the Triad. Cynthia believes in giving back to the community and supports several nonprofit initiatives. Her volunteer work is vast and spans the triad and triangle regions. She also has a passion for improving the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity in the industry.
- Lewis, a long-time staff member for Wake Forest athletics, currently serves as the Associate Athletic Director, Community and Alumni Relations. Lewis received the Mike Ford Servant Leadership Community Award from the university in 2020 in recognition of his leadership in providing service opportunities for student athletes in the spirit of Pro Humanitate.
- McGregor, a former standout on the hardwood for Wake Forest, was the first Black athlete to sign with a Big Four school in basketball in 1968. Graduating from Wake Forest in 1971, McGregor went on to play professionally in the NBA and overseas, before returning to his alma mater as an academic advisor for student athletes. He later transitioned his career to broadcasting, where he was a long-time analyst for the TV broadcasts of the Charlotte and New Orleans Hornets.
- Overton, a former football student-athlete for the Deacs, graduated from Wake Forest in 1968. He played professionally in both the NFL and the CFL, before transitioning into a successful acting career, starring in TV shows such as The New Perry Mason, Firehouse and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He published his first book, The Media: Shaping an Image of a People, in 2002.
- Puckett, a 1970 graduate of Wake Forest, is long-time supporter of Wake Forest Athletics, dating back to his time as an student assistant trainer under the legendary long-time Demon Deacon athletic trainer Doc Martin as an undergraduate. He stayed in Winston-Salem after his graduation, rarely missing a home game in the ensuing decades while serving the community as an insurance agent.
- Smith currently serves as a Regional Director for Development in Wake Forest Athletics, with a focus on Football Alumni Engagement. A former football student-athlete for the Deacs and 2000 graduate from Reynolda Campus, Smith previously served as a Community Director for the City of Raleigh for a decade before returning to his alma mater.
ACC UNITE Award
|
|
The ACC announced the winners of the inaugural ACC UNITE Award on Sept. 23, 2021.
In the first year of the award, the league is celebrating the individuals who – according to available information – are the first male and female athletes of color to integrate the athletic teams at each current ACC institution. Each school will honor its recipients during the current academic year. Wake Forest's honorees are Robert Grant and Kenneth "Butch" Henry (1964, football), and Keeva Jackson and Sonya Henderson (1981, women's basketball). Grant and Henry were the first Black football student-athletes to enroll at a Division I institution in the South.The UNITE Award is an initiative of the ACC's Committee for Racial and Social Justice (CORE - Champions of Racial Equity) and was developed and approved by its 15 member institutions.
C.O.R.E was created in June 2020 to support the ACC's commitment to social justice and racial equity. Members of C.O.R.E. include conference office staff members and campus representatives from each of the league's 15 institutions. C.O.R.E.'s mission is to promote and encourage inclusion, racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy.