Bobby Hill

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NAACP says Thank You – Your Legacy Lives On

The Annual Texas State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was held October 9 through October 11, 2008 in San Antonio, TX. One of the events of the annual conference was the Texas Heroes Award Banquet. The highlight of the banquet was the recognition of Coach Don Haskins and the 1966 African American Basketball Players of Texas Western College (now the University of Texas at El Paso) that were featured in the Walt Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Production film “Glory Road.” The night of March 19, 1966, Coach Haskins started an all-black lineup in the NCAA Championship game against the Kentucky Wildcats, an all-white team. These Miners played their way into history by beating the Wildcats 72-65. Nevil Shed and Harry Flournoy, two of the 1966 players were present for this awards banquet. The players were honored for their historical trail blazing accomplishments that catapulted Blacks even outside of the athletic arena.

During its monthly meeting on Saturday, October 18, 2008, Mr. Harold Howell, President of the El Paso Branch of the NAACP and its members presented the Texas Hero Award to Mrs. Tina Hill on behalf of her husband, the late Mr. Bobby Joe Hill, one of the contributing players to the success of the 1966 team. Bobby Joe was most notable for his quick ability to steal the basketball from the opponent and sprint down the court to score the lay-up. With tears in her eyes, Mrs. Hill stated, “There is nothing like being honored by your own. Thank you for remembering my Bobby.” Mr. Howell stated, “In 1966, in a little west Texas town called El Paso, Texas Western College erected a team of giants that paved their way into history by towering through racial barriers allowing their vision, integrity, talents and gifts to prevail.”

ogue about diversity and inclusion in corporate America, and 2) to be used as a mechanism to highlight what works as corporations continue to evaluate their current corporate diversity programs.

For more information, visit www.naacp.org