Herman Boone
Encyclopedia
Herman Boone is a former American
high school
football
coach, most famous for coaching at T. C. Williams High School
in Alexandria, Virginia
. Boone was portrayed by Denzel Washington
in the 2000 film Remember the Titans
.
in Durham, North Carolina, where, in 1958, he received his B.A. and M.S. degrees.
In 1961, Herman fulfilled his strong desire to return to his home state of North Carolina
to continue his coaching and teaching career. He accepted a coaching position at the E.J. Hayes High School in Williamston, North Carolina. His football teams amassed a record of 99 wins and 8 losses in a nine year period. His 1966 football team was recognized by Scholastic Coach’s Magazine as “The Number One Football Team in America”. In 1969, Boone was fired from his position, informed by the Williamston school board that the town of Williamston “was not ready for a black head coach”.
In 1971, the city of Alexandria, Virginia
decided to totally integrate its school system and appointed Herman as its first consolidated head football coach at T.C. Williams High School over a white coach Bill Yoast
with several years seniority and a steadfast citywide following. Remarkably, Herman was able to pull together and solidify a diverse coaching staff and an unfocused group of young boys into one of the most powerful football teams in the state of Virginia, winning the 1971 Virginia State Championship. This team was ranked second in the nation by national polls. The willingness of these young men to talk to each other, along with their determination to win, brought together a city torn apart by prejudice and hatred.
After the Gettysburg camp where the team members learn to know each other, President Richard Nixon sent an aide, Dr. Brown, to see this integrated football team that was beginning to catch national attention. In December 1971, President Richard M. Nixon was quoted as saying, “the team saved the city of Alexandria”.
Herman has been selected coach of the year six times and is the author of many articles for several national magazines.
, and has participated in coaching a Native American version of the game. His mother was born on a reservation
in North Carolina. He is one of twelve children. He currently lives with his wife Carol in Alexandria, Virginia. They have three daughters, Sharron, Donna & Monica and three grandchildren Mackenzie, Myles and Lauren.
Boone is also a member of Omega Psi Phi
Fraternity, having become a member through the Tau Psi chapter at North Carolina Central University.
Coach Boone is a good friend of Coach Willie Jeffries
, dating back to when the two were assistant coaches in North Carolina. Coach Boone wrote a letter of recommendation in support of Jeffries' induction into the College Football Hall of Fame
. In it, Boone wrote, "Without his leadership and example, there would not have been Remember the Titans or the advancement in race relations in sports that we have witnessed."
. Boone was portrayed in the movie by Denzel Washington
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach, most famous for coaching at T. C. Williams High School
T. C. Williams High School
T. C. Williams High School is a public high school in Alexandria, Virginia, named after former superintendent Thomas Chambliss Williams of Alexandria City Public Schools who served from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s...
in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
. Boone was portrayed by Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
in the 2000 film Remember the Titans
Remember the Titans
Remember the Titans is a 2000 American sports film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin. Inspired by real events, the plot was conceived from a screenplay written by Gregory Allen Howard. The film starts as a new coach of the Titans, a football team previously coached by the...
.
Education
Boone attended the Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, then the now closed Booker T. Washington High School in Rocky Mount and graduated from North Carolina Central UniversityNorth Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University is a public historically black university in the University of North Carolina system, located in Durham, North Carolina, offering programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, professional and doctoral levels....
in Durham, North Carolina, where, in 1958, he received his B.A. and M.S. degrees.
Career
After college, Boone decided to become a teacher and coach, so that he might motivate other youngsters, as he had been early in his childhood. In 1958, Herman accepted his first teaching and coaching position at the Luther H. Foster High School in Blackstone, Virginia, where he coached football, basketball and baseball. His teams recorded impressive results with twenty-six wins, six losses and three district championships.In 1961, Herman fulfilled his strong desire to return to his home state of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
to continue his coaching and teaching career. He accepted a coaching position at the E.J. Hayes High School in Williamston, North Carolina. His football teams amassed a record of 99 wins and 8 losses in a nine year period. His 1966 football team was recognized by Scholastic Coach’s Magazine as “The Number One Football Team in America”. In 1969, Boone was fired from his position, informed by the Williamston school board that the town of Williamston “was not ready for a black head coach”.
In 1971, the city of Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
decided to totally integrate its school system and appointed Herman as its first consolidated head football coach at T.C. Williams High School over a white coach Bill Yoast
Bill Yoast
William "Bill" Yoast is an American high school football coach best known for being featured in the 2000 film Remember the Titans. He was portrayed by veteran actor Will Patton.Yoast grew up in Florence, Alabama...
with several years seniority and a steadfast citywide following. Remarkably, Herman was able to pull together and solidify a diverse coaching staff and an unfocused group of young boys into one of the most powerful football teams in the state of Virginia, winning the 1971 Virginia State Championship. This team was ranked second in the nation by national polls. The willingness of these young men to talk to each other, along with their determination to win, brought together a city torn apart by prejudice and hatred.
After the Gettysburg camp where the team members learn to know each other, President Richard Nixon sent an aide, Dr. Brown, to see this integrated football team that was beginning to catch national attention. In December 1971, President Richard M. Nixon was quoted as saying, “the team saved the city of Alexandria”.
Herman has been selected coach of the year six times and is the author of many articles for several national magazines.
Retirement
Retired from coaching, Boone enjoys a career as a public speaker at functions regarding his time as a high school football coach at T.C. Williams High School.Personal life
Boone is half Eastern CherokeeCherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
, and has participated in coaching a Native American version of the game. His mother was born on a reservation
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
in North Carolina. He is one of twelve children. He currently lives with his wife Carol in Alexandria, Virginia. They have three daughters, Sharron, Donna & Monica and three grandchildren Mackenzie, Myles and Lauren.
Boone is also a member of Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos...
Fraternity, having become a member through the Tau Psi chapter at North Carolina Central University.
Coach Boone is a good friend of Coach Willie Jeffries
Willie Jeffries
Willie Jeffries, was a college football coach. In his 29-year career, Jeffries compiled a 179-132-6 record. He coached 19 years at his alma mater South Carolina State University in two stints, five years at Wichita State University, and five years at Howard University...
, dating back to when the two were assistant coaches in North Carolina. Coach Boone wrote a letter of recommendation in support of Jeffries' induction into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
. In it, Boone wrote, "Without his leadership and example, there would not have been Remember the Titans or the advancement in race relations in sports that we have witnessed."
In film
The integration of the T.C. Williams football team is the subject of the film Remember the TitansRemember the Titans
Remember the Titans is a 2000 American sports film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin. Inspired by real events, the plot was conceived from a screenplay written by Gregory Allen Howard. The film starts as a new coach of the Titans, a football team previously coached by the...
. Boone was portrayed in the movie by Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
.