46: George Taliaferro-NFL

While Jackie Robinson is known to so many for being the first man to cross the color barrier in Major League Baseball, few, very few, know who the first African-American was to be drafted by an NFL Team. George Taliaferro, a record-breaking running back who played ball at Indiana University, was drafted in the 13th round of the 1949 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, thus becoming the first African-American drafted to play in the NFL. But, he never suited up for the Bears. Instead, Taliaferro opted to play with the Los Angeles Dons of the AAFC. Dawn Knight, a school teacher in Indiana, was a student of George’s at Indiana University long after he retired from the game. Knight formed a life-long friendship with Taliaferro and early-on learned of his phenomenal exploits on the field for the Hoosiers. Having always wanted to write a book, Knight couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tell George’s life story … and what a story it is. So, she wrote a biography about George called, “Taliaferro: Breaking Barriers From the NFL Draft to the Ivory Tower,” and Dawn is featured on this edition of Sports’ Forgotten Heroes, for a terrific look back on a man and a career that so few know, but should. From his time on the field at Indiana, to his being drafted into the Army under very unique circumstances, to his NFL career and his life after football, we talk about it all; including the fact that he started and played significant time at seven different positions in the NFL.

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