Dmorgan15
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- May 22, 2015
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December 6, 1952: Here's a copy of the official game program of the 1952 Orange Blossom Classic. Florida A&M defeated Virginia State 29-7 in front of 31,391 fans at the Orange Bowl to capture the black college national championship. The victorious Rattlers were led by a pair of Miami natives quarterback Alkin Hepburn and running back James Moore, who were both Black College All Americans. Nicknamed "Mr. Cool", Hepburn was considered one of the college best passers of his time. He completed an efficient 8 of 11 passes and 3 touchdown passes to lead the Rattlers. Hepburn later returned to Miami and became head coach at his alma mater Booker T. Washington High School during the 1960s. He also coached Miami Northwestern High School from 1971 to 1974. Moore, a graduate of Carver High School in Coconut Grove, went on to become the first black player from the State of Florida to get drafted by an NFL team (Chicago Bears in 1953).
Long before the Hurricanes, Gators and Seminoles became national powers, the Florida A&M Rattlers were the first program in the state to win national championships. During segregation, the Rattlers were a black college powerhouse led by legendary coach Jake Gaither and attracted the best African American football players throughout the Sunshine State.
The Orange Blossom Classic was a postseason game hosted by Florida A&M at the Orange Bowl from 1947 to 1978. But it was more than just a football game. During a time of segregation in Miami, the Orange Blossom Classic was black Miami's answer to the New Year's Orange Bowl game. It was a complete festival that included a parade through Overtown and Liberty City. Prior to the first Orange Blossom Classic, African Americans were prohibited from attending football games at the Orange Bowl Stadium. The University of Miami and the Orange Bowl committee did not accommodate African American fans until the early 1950s, placing separate seating sections in the east end zone. The Orange Blossom Classic reached the peak of its popularity from the 1950s through the early 1960s and showcased some of the best African American college football players of the day including hall of famers Willie Galimore, Bob Hayes, Willie Davis, Willie Lanier, Lee Roy Kelly and Charlie Joiner to name a few. The game also drew thousands of white fans, many came to see the famous Florida A&M marching band directed by Dr. William P. Foster.
By the 1970s, the Orange Blossom Classic began to decline in popularity. Major Southern universities integrated their football programs and FAMU was no longer getting the best African American players. After 1978, it was no longer a postseason game due to conflict with the Division IAA playoffs. The game continued into the early 1990s until it finally stopped in 1992. The Orange Blossom Classic has since been replaced by the Florida Classic, played every December in Orlando between Florida A&M and Bethune Cookman College.
Long before the Hurricanes, Gators and Seminoles became national powers, the Florida A&M Rattlers were the first program in the state to win national championships. During segregation, the Rattlers were a black college powerhouse led by legendary coach Jake Gaither and attracted the best African American football players throughout the Sunshine State.
The Orange Blossom Classic was a postseason game hosted by Florida A&M at the Orange Bowl from 1947 to 1978. But it was more than just a football game. During a time of segregation in Miami, the Orange Blossom Classic was black Miami's answer to the New Year's Orange Bowl game. It was a complete festival that included a parade through Overtown and Liberty City. Prior to the first Orange Blossom Classic, African Americans were prohibited from attending football games at the Orange Bowl Stadium. The University of Miami and the Orange Bowl committee did not accommodate African American fans until the early 1950s, placing separate seating sections in the east end zone. The Orange Blossom Classic reached the peak of its popularity from the 1950s through the early 1960s and showcased some of the best African American college football players of the day including hall of famers Willie Galimore, Bob Hayes, Willie Davis, Willie Lanier, Lee Roy Kelly and Charlie Joiner to name a few. The game also drew thousands of white fans, many came to see the famous Florida A&M marching band directed by Dr. William P. Foster.
By the 1970s, the Orange Blossom Classic began to decline in popularity. Major Southern universities integrated their football programs and FAMU was no longer getting the best African American players. After 1978, it was no longer a postseason game due to conflict with the Division IAA playoffs. The game continued into the early 1990s until it finally stopped in 1992. The Orange Blossom Classic has since been replaced by the Florida Classic, played every December in Orlando between Florida A&M and Bethune Cookman College.
