(Atlanta, GA) – The Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) announced its Class of 2017 today. Six inductees were selected from a list of 25 Finalists who had been determined earlier by the BCFHOF Selection Committee.
The Class of 2017 includes Parnell “Paydirt” Dickinson (Mississippi Valley State), Harold “Sunny” Jackson (Jackson State), Gary “Big Hands” Johnson (Grambling State), Robert Porcher (South Carolina State, Tennessee State), Isiah “Butch” Robertson (Southern) as player inductees and Coach Billy Joe (Cheyney, Central State, Florida A&M, Miles College).
Dickinson went from the Brighton High School Bears to play for Mississippi Valley State, where he was the quarterback for the Delta Devils from 1972 through 1975.
Dickinson was an All-SWAC pick four times, left the league as its all-time leader in total offense with 7,442 yards and was a member of the inaugural class of the SWAC Hall of Fame in 1992.
In his 37-game collegiate career, Dickinson completed 599-of-894 passes for 6,326 yards with 83 touchdowns and 33 interceptions.
Dickinson is on the Divisional Player ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2017.
Dickson was the first quarterback drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, selected in the seventh round of the 1976 NFL Draft by the expansion team.
“This class is another representation of the immense football talent that has played at historically black colleges and universities,” said BCFHOF Co-Founder and 2012 Inductee James “Shack” Harris. “All five players were college All-Americans, and three were first round NFL draft picks.”
Votes were tallied from the 12-member Selection Committee, comprised of prominent journalists, commentators and historians, as well as former NFL General Managers and executives, and from previous BCFHOF inductees to determine the Inductees.
The Class of 2017 will be honored at the Eighth Annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Presented by the Atlanta Falcons on February 25, 2017. The Induction Ceremony takes place at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Inductees will also be recognized at the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta on December 17th.