Big Ten Announces Taliaferro Fellowship To Increase Diversity

George Taliaferro’s influence on collegiate sports continues to grow.  

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren announced Thursday the creation of the George and Viola Taliaferro Fellowship; it aims to increase diversity and inclusion within the Big Ten conference offices. The award was announced during the Big Ten Football Media Days in Indianapolis.  

“This fellowship will allow young people who strive to get an opportunity to work in college athletics, to build a career,” Warren said during his opening statements at Lucas Oil Stadium. 

The Taliaferros were legendary figures in the Bloomington area, acting as trailblazers for the Black community and improving life for all those in town.  

George played football for IU from 1945 to 1948 and was a three-time All-American. He became the first Black player drafted in the NFL when the Chicago Bears selected him in the 13 th round in 1949.  

An outspoken advocate for civil rights, Taliaferro spent seven years in the NFL before serving as Dean of Students at Morgan State University and then special assistant to the IU president and chancellor of IUPUI. 

The three-time Pro Bowler also helped integrate IU and Bloomington when he and former IU President Herman B Wells convinced the owner of the Gables restaurant to allow Black students to eat there. 

Vi Taliaferro graduated from IU’s Maurer School of Law in 1977. In 1989, she became the first Black Hoosier to serve as a magistrate in Monroe County Circuit Court, and had the same honor when becoming Monroe Circuit Court judge in 1995. She continues to work on special projects for the Indiana Supreme Court as a retired judge. 

Warren told the Taliaferro’s daughters, who were in attendance, that he was honored to name the fellowship after their parents.  

“One of my proudest moments was when I attended Indiana University last year, when I had an opportunity to touch that statue (of George),” Warren said.