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Harry R. Jefferson
Biographical details
Born (1899-05-12)May 12, 1899
Parkersburg, West Virginia
Died April 24, 1966(1966-04-24) (aged 66)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Playing career
Football
1917 West Virginia State
1918–1921 Ohio
Position(s) Guard, center
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1922 Kelly Miller HS (WV)
1923 Wilberforce
1924 Kelly Miller HS (WV)
1925–1929 Bluefield
1930–1931 North Carolina A&T
1932–1933 Bluefield State
1934–1948 Virginia State
1949–1956 Hampton
Basketball
1924 Kelly Miller HS (WV)
1934–1949 Virginia State
Baseball
1924 Wilberforce
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1924–1925 Kelly Miller HS (WV)
1925–1930 Bluefield State
1930–1932 North Carolina A&T
1932–1934 Bluefield State
1949–1957 Hampton
1961–1965 CIAA (commissioner)
Head coaching record
Overall 173–92–25 (college football)
Bowls 1–0
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 black college national (1927, 1928, 1936)
2 MAA (1927–1928)
4 CIAA (1936, 1938, 1939, 1945)
Awards
All-Ohio center (1921)
NAIA Hall of Fame (1961)
Virginia State University Hall of Fame (1980)
CIAA Hall of Fame (1982)
Bluefield State Hall of Fame (teams) (2008)
AFCA Trailblazer Award (2010)

Harry Rupert "Big Jeff" Jefferson (May 12, 1899 – April 24, 1966) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Wilberforce University (1923), Bluefield State College (1925–1929, 1932–1933), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (1930–1931), Virginia State University (1934–1948), Hampton University (1949–1959), compiling a career college football coaching record of 173–92–25. Jefferson led his teams to black college football national championships in 1927, 1928, and 1936. Jefferson was the first chairman and charter member of the National Athletic Steering Committee (NASC) in 1951. Later, Jefferson served as president of the NASC in 1957 and was honorary president in 1959. Jefferson was also honored by the NASC in 1958 for 35 years "contributed to the development of youth through athletic coaching and administration." Jefferson was also the first commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in 1961. In college, he was a founding member of the Phi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha at Ohio University. Jefferson died of a heart attack, on April 24, 1966, at Mercy Douglas Hospital in Philadelphia. His funeral was held at Arlington National Cemetery.

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Wilberforce Green Wave (Independent) (1923)
1923 Wilberforce 3–2
Wilberforce: 3–2
Bluefield Big Blue (Independent) (1925)
1925 Bluefield 2–2–1
Bluefield Big Blue (Midwest Athletic Association) (1926–1929)
1926 Bluefield 3–2
1927 Bluefield 8–0–1 1st
1928 Bluefield 8–0–1 1st
1929 Bluefield 6–2–1
North Carolina A&T Aggies (Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1930–1931)
1930 North Carolina A&T 3–6–1 3–5–1 7th
1931 North Carolina A&T 3–5 3–5 7th
North Carolina A&T: 6–11–1 6–10–1
Bluefield State Big Blues (Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1932–1933)
1932 Bluefield State 4–4–1 3–2 5th
1933 Bluefield State 6–2–2 4–1–2 3rd
Bluefield / Bluefield State: 37–12–7 7–3–2
Virginia State Trojans (Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1934–1948)
1934 Virginia State 3–5–2 3–3–2 5th
1935 Virginia State 6–3–1 5–3 4th
1936 Virginia State 9–0–2 6–0–2 1st
1937 Virginia State 8–1 7–1 3rd
1938 Virginia State 7–0–1 6–0–1 1st
1939 Virginia State 7–1–1 7–0–1 1st
1940 Virginia State 3–3–2 2–3–2 7th
1941 Virginia State 5–2–1 4–2–1 3rd
1942 Virginia State 7–2–1 5–2–1 4th
1943 Virginia State 4–2 2–2 3rd
1944 Virginia State 7–1–1 4–1–1 2nd
1945 Virginia State 8–0–2 6–0–1 1st W Piedmont Tobacco
1946 Virginia State 7–2 5–2 3rd
1947 Virginia State 10–1 7–1 2nd
1948 Virginia State 5–3 5–3 6th
Virginia State: 95–26–14 74–23–12
Hampton Pirates (Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association / Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1949–1956)
1949 Hampton 5–4 3–4 9th
1950 Hampton 2–7 2–5 13th
1951 Hampton 5–4 4–4 7th
1952 Hampton 4–5 4–4 8th
1953 Hampton 6–3–1 5–3 6th
1954 Hampton 4–5–1 4–5–1 9th
1955 Hampton 4–6 4–6 11th
1956 Hampton 2–7–1 2–7–1 12th
Hampton: 32–41–3 28–38–2
Total: 173–92–25
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
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