Eddie Robinson. Jake Gaither. John Merritt. These are three HBCU football coaching giants that many football fans know. Other greats, such as Marino Casem, Billy Nicks, Earl Banks, and Ace Mumford might be less well-known to college football fans. Still, all of these coaches contributed tremendously to the history of college football and to the lives of the young men whom they coached. While this project aims to preserve the stories of those who played HBCU football, we also believe in the importance of celebrating the coaches who helped build the history of the game while guiding their players through the volatile Civil Rights Era.