Homer Harris

Homer E. Harris Jr. (March 4, 1916 – March 17, 2007) was an American college football player and coach. He attended the University of Iowa, where he played as an end and tackle and became the first African-American captain of a Big Ten Conference team. Harris served as head football coach at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina from 1939 to 1940, compiling a record of 8–7–3.

Born(1916-03-04)March 4, 1916
Seattle, Washington, U.S.

DiedMarch 17, 2007(2007-03-17) (aged 91)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.

1935–1937Iowa

PositionsEnd, tackle

Quick facts Biographical details, Born ...

Homer E. Harris, Jr.

Harris, 2002, at the dedication of the Seattle park named after him
Biographical details
Born	(1916-03-04)March 4, 1916 Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Died	March 17, 2007(2007-03-17) (aged 91) Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Playing career
1935–1937	Iowa
Positions	End, tackle
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1939–1940	North Carolina A&T
Head coaching record
Overall	8–7–3
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Second-team All-Big Ten (1936)

Close

Born in Seattle, he became the first black captain of the football team at Seattle's Garfield High School. At Iowa, he was the MVP of the 1936 Iowa Hawkeyes football team as a junior and captain of the 1937 Iowa Hawkeyes football team as senior. named an All-Big Ten Conference three years in a row.

Harris went to Meharry Medical College in Nashville and practiced as a dermatologist, first in Chicago and then his hometown of Seattle from 1954 to 2000. He was inducted into the Hawkeyes' Hall of Fame in 2002 and had a Seattle park named after him the same year.^[1] Harris died on March 17, 2007, at his home in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle, after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.^[2]