Don Hudson facts for kids
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 10, 1929 |
| Died | September 30, 2018 (aged 88) Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Playing career | |
| c. 1950 | Lincoln (MO) |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| c. 1960 | Lincoln (MO) (assistant) |
| 1968–1970 | Minneapolis Central HS (MN) |
| 1971 | Macalester (assistant) |
| 1972–1975 | Macalester |
| 1976–1979 | Lincoln (MO) |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1980–? | Lincoln (MO) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 9–72–2 (college) |
Donald Edward Hudson (born November 20, 1929 – died September 30, 2018) was an important figure in American football. He was a player and a coach. He made history by becoming the first African-American head football coach at a mostly white college in the modern era.
Don Hudson: A Football Pioneer
Don Hudson was a college football coach who broke barriers. He became the head football coach at Macalester College in December 1971. This was a big moment because Macalester was a predominantly white college. This made him the first African-American person to lead a football team at such a school in modern times.
However, this important achievement was not widely known at first. Macalester College did not publicize it much. Because of this, other colleges later mistakenly announced they had hired the first African-American head coach. For example, Portland State University hired Ron Stratten in 1972. Oberlin College hired Cass Jackson in 1973. Years later, in October 2007, Hudson was finally recognized for his pioneering role at a Macalester game.
His Journey in Football
Don Hudson played college football as a quarterback. He played for Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. After his playing days, he became an assistant coach at Lincoln University. He coached there through the 1950s and 1960s.
Later, he got a chance to be a head coach at Minneapolis Central High School. He was also the first African-American coach in that school's sports league. In 1971, he moved to Macalester College. There, he took on a coaching and teaching job. He became the head coach at Macalester from 1972 to 1975. After that, he coached at Lincoln University from 1976 to 1979. His overall college coaching record was 9 wins, 72 losses, and 2 ties.
