Celebrating Black History Month - Arkansas Razorbacks

A half-century ago, Jon Richardson stepped on the field as the first African-American scholarship football player at the University of Arkansas. On Thursday, November 19 at 6 p.m., Razorback Athletics will host a special virtual event celebrating Richardson and other Razorback trailblazers.

In recent weeks, we have been reminded of the continuing challenges facing each of us individually and collectively within our society. As we prepare for the road ahead, we are inspired by their stories, including that of the late Darrell Brown, the first African-American football player at the University of Arkansas.

In 2011, Razorback Athletics paid tribute to trailblazers in its various sport programs. That spring, Valanna Lyons and Zenobia Davison returned to campus and were honored at Bogle Park as the first black student-athletes to play softball at the University of Arkansas.

Silas Herbert Hunt was born in Ashdown, Ark. His family moved to Oklahoma when Silas was young, but returned to Texarkana, Ark., when he was 14. Hunt took an interest in school, participating in many activities and graduating salutatorian of his class in 1941. He enrolled in Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College — now known as the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff — where his academic ability gained him recognition and financial aid.

As the first black starting quarterback on his high school football team in the 1970s, Arvis Harper was used to shaking things up. The North Little Rock prep star had football scholarships from plenty of schools. He was sought after for his baseball talents too.