Pioneering Player Recognized for Resilience and Impact
James “Jim” Hurley, the University of Georgia’s first African American football player, will receive this year’s “Uncommon Valor Award” from the Athens branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). The award presentation will take place during ASALH’s Founder’s Day celebration on Sunday, September 29, 2024, at First AME Church in Athens.
In 1967, amidst the racial hostility and entrenched Jim Crow attitudes heightened by the Civil Rights movement, Hurley, an Atlanta native and Harper High School graduate, walked onto the University of Georgia’s freshman football team. While at UGA, Hurley received the Bill Munday Award for having the highest academic average on the freshman team.
First Black Player on UGA’s Varsity Football Roster
Hurley started as a defensive end, becoming the first Black player ever on the university’s fall football roster. At the time, UGA only recruited and offered athletic scholarships to white players. Hurley preceded the first history-making Black scholarship football players—Richard Appleby, Chuck Kinnebrew, Horace King, Clarence Pope, and Larry West—who were signed at UGA in 1971.
Hurley’s achievement occurred during turbulent times in the South. Discrimination and racial violence were commonplace. In 1966, Ken Dious of Athens received death threats from the Ku Klux Klan when he attempted to join UGA’s football team as a walk-on. Although he completed spring tryouts, Dious did not pursue football in the fall. In 1967, at another Southeastern Conference university, a pioneering Black football player tragically died from injuries sustained during practice.
Resilience and Lasting Relationships
Hurley spent two seasons at UGA. During his sophomore year, he was added to the varsity squad but was redshirted and told he would not see any playing time. Afterwards, he accepted a scholarship offer to Vanderbilt University, where he later lettered in football.
Despite the societal challenges of that era, Hurley reflects warmly on his time in Athens and at the University of Georgia. He recalls the support from his coaches and how several students made extra efforts to make him feel welcome. Even after transferring to Vanderbilt, Hurley received a thoughtful letter in 1970 from the late Coach Vince Dooley, which underscored the lasting relationships he built at Georgia.
Honoring a Legacy of Pioneering and Resilience
The “Uncommon Valor Award” recognizes not only Hurley’s historical impact on UGA football but his resilience and positive outlook in the face of hostility.
Founded in 1915 by Carter G. Woodson, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) is dedicated to promoting the study and appreciation of African-American history and culture.
