| Before African Americans were accepted to be | | | | different teams including the Philadelphia Eagles in |
| part of the National Football League or the NFL, | | | | 1955, the Baltimore Colts from 1953 to 1954, the |
| they underwent arduous experience of being | | | | Dallas Texans in 1952, and the New York Yanks |
| discriminated by the white NFL players. But the | | | | from 1950 to 1951. |
| African Americans did not lose hope and before | | | | FRITZ POLLARD |
| they knew it, they were slowly being accepted as | | | | Born Frederick Douglass Pollard on January 27, |
| part of the NFL until people have noticed a | | | | 1894, Fritz Pollard was not only one of the first |
| growing number of black quarterbacks in the NFL. | | | | black quarterbacks to have joined the NFL, but he |
| Here is a list of some of the black quarterbacks | | | | was also the first black head coach in the NFL. |
| who used to be and who are still part of the NFL. | | | | Before he joined the NFL, Fritz Pollard was a |
| GEORGE TALIAFERRO | | | | track and field athlete at Lane Tech where he |
| George Taliaferro was born in Gates, Tennessee | | | | graduated high school. This black quarterback then |
| on January 8, 1927 and was the first African | | | | played football during college at Brown University. |
| American to be drafted by a team that formed | | | | After college, Fritz Pollard took football as a |
| part of the NFL. It was in 1949 when George | | | | profession, playing for the Akron Pros team which |
| Taliaferro was drafted by the Chicago Bears. He | | | | he later led to the championship in 1920. A year |
| was then a punter, quarterback, and a halfback. | | | | later, Fritz Pollard was appointed as co-head coach |
| However, instead of playing for the Chicago | | | | of Akron Pros. This black quarterback also |
| Bears, George Taliaferro chose to play at the | | | | experienced playing for other teams such as |
| All-America Football Conference under the Los | | | | Providence Steam Roller, Gilberton Cadamounts, |
| Angeles Dons team. After a year, George | | | | Hammond Pros, and Milwaukee Badgers. Fritz |
| Taliaferro decided to join the NFL, playing for | | | | Pollard died on May 11, 1986. |
