Taliaferro awarded 1st humanitarian Big Ten honor

It is perhaps fitting that the inaugural Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award, named in part after a former IU running back, has been awarded to another former Hoosier running back.

George Taliaferro, a two-time All-Big Ten running back in the 1940s, received the award Tuesday. It is given to Big Ten football players who make an impact in the humanitarian field after their playing careers end.

The award is partially named after Anthony Thompson, a College Football Hall of Fame member who played for IU from 1986 to 1989. Former Minnesota quarterback Tony Dungy, who went on to coach the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2009, also shares the award’s namesake.

Taliaferro became the first African-American drafted into the NFL when the Chicago Bears drafted him in the 13th round in 1949, but the Big Ten recognized him with the award for his work after retirement.

After retiring, Taliaferro dedicated years to presenting equal opportunities to minorities and women, developing IU’s Affirmative Action Plan. He worked as an assistant to Herman B Wells and was a member of the first Big Ten Advisory Commission, serving as the Big Ten Advisory Board chairman from 1974 to 1976.

Taliaferro currently resides in Bloomington.

— Alex McCarthy