Artis P. Graves facts for kids
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 23, 1907 |
| Died | August 11, 1977 (aged 69) Greensboro, North Carolina |
| Playing career | |
| c. 1930 | Bluefield State |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1939 | Morris Brown (assistant) |
| 1940 | Morris Brown |
| 1941–1942 | Morris Brown (assistant) |
| 1944–1949 | Morris Brown |
| Head coaching record | |
| Bowls | 1–0 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1 black college national (1940) 1 SIAC (1940) |
|
Artis P. Graves (born September 23, 1907 – died August 11, 1977) was an important American football coach and a smart educator. He is best known for being the head football coach at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia. He coached there in 1940 and again from 1944 to 1949. His team in 1940 was amazing! They won 10 games and lost only one. This success led them to win the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) title and a black college football national championship.
Early Life and Education
Artis Graves loved football from a young age. He played college football at Bluefield State College in Bluefield, West Virginia. He was so good that he was named a "Negro All-American" three times. This was a special honor for top Black college football players of his time. Later, he continued his education and earned a PhD from the University of Iowa.
Coaching and Teaching Career
After playing, Graves became a coach. He coached sports at other colleges too, like Morristown College in Morristown, Tennessee and Shorter College in North Little Rock, Arkansas.
In 1950, Artis Graves took on a new role. He became the head of the biology department at North Carolina A&T State University. This university is in Greensboro, North Carolina. He worked there until he retired in June 1977.
Besides coaching and teaching, Graves was also a sports official. He worked as a referee for football and basketball games. He did this for the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association for 25 years. That's a quarter of a century!
Later Life
Artis Graves passed away on August 11, 1977. He died in a hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina, after a short illness. He left behind a legacy as a successful coach, a dedicated educator, and a respected sports official.
