ACC Announces Inaugural UNITE Award Recipients; Four Demon Deacons Honored
9/23/2021 11:15:00 AM | General
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The Atlantic Coast Conference has announced the winners of the inaugural ACC UNITE Award, which was created to honor individuals affiliated with the league who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice.
In the first year of the award, the league is celebrating the individuals who – according to available information – are the first male and female athletes of color to integrate the athletic teams at each current ACC institution. Each school will honor its recipients during the current academic year. Wake Forest's honorees are Robert Grant and Kenneth "Butch" Henry (1964, football), and Keeva Jackson and Sonya Henderson (1981, women's basketball). Grant and Henry were the first Black football student-athletes to enroll at a Division I institution in the South.
The UNITE Award is an initiative of the ACC's Committee for Racial and Social Justice (CORE - Champions of Racial Equity) and was developed and approved by its 15 member institutions.
C.O.R.E was created in June 2020 to support the ACC's commitment to social justice and racial equity. Members of C.O.R.E. include conference office staff members and campus representatives from each of the league's 15 institutions. C.O.R.E.'s mission is to promote and encourage inclusion, racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy.
Moving forward, each school will select one male and one female recipient of the annual ACC UNITE Award.
The UNITE Award will be presented annually to individuals who:
"As a charter member of the ACC, Wake Forest University is proud to participate in this effort to annually honor the incredible trailblazers at each institution. It took deep faith for Bob Grant, Butch Henry, Sonya Henderson and Keeva Jackson to believe that their teammates, the coaching staff, our University leadership and the Winston-Salem community would offer steady support as they embarked on their academic and competitive careers at our University. They were transformational leaders, displaying their abilities, talents, character and fortitude to persevere and mark trails for future student-athletes of color at Wake Forest."
Robert Grant & Kenneth "Butch" Henry, Football
Robert Grant, who is a 2011 Wake Forest Sports Hall Fame inductee, is a true trailblazer at Wake Forest University and in the Winston-Salem community. Grant enrolled at Wake Forest in the fall of 1964 and excelled both on and off the field as he earned All-ACC first team honors in 1966. After his career as a Demon Deacon, Grant was selected 50th overall in the second round of the 1968 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts. In his rookie year, he played in Super Bowl III and despite the loss, Grant eventually got his ring after the Colts beat the Cowboys in Super Bowl V, 16-13.
Meanwhile for Kenneth "Butch" Henry after being recruited as a quarterback made the switch to wide receiver upon his arrival in Winston-Salem. He finished his career as one of the team leaders in receptions during the 1965 (30 catches, 367 yards, two touchdowns) and 1966 (20 catches, 279 yards, two touchdowns) seasons.
The two of them along with Willie Smith were the first Black football players to enroll at a major Division I school in the South. Their legacy at Wake Forest led Athletics to create the first-ever Robert Grant and Kenneth "Butch" Henry Trailblazer Award.
Sonya Henderson & Keeva Jackson, Women's Basketball
After having a standout career at North Forsyth High School, Sonya Henderson enrolled at Wake Forest where she received her B.A. in Mass Communications & Theatre Arts. During her time with the Deacs, Henderson recorded the second-most steals in a single game when she had nine steals against Georgia Tech (Feb. 9, 1985). Henderson was also a strong rebounder, leading her team during the 1984-85 season with an average of 6.5 boards per game. In the season prior, Henderson led her squad in free throw percentage shooting 73.6% from the line.
Upon graduation, Henderson began her professional career in Charlotte before moving and playing in France for a season. After retiring she taught and coached at St. John's International School. Additionally, Henderson has a gift for music and had a successful career in the arts. During her time in Europe, she recorded her first single, "The Atmosphere That Surrounds Me."
Her song became an international hit record that reached the top of dance charts in several countries. Her time in Europe served as a base for Henderson to develop her musical influences. Henderson is also involved with non-profit organizations that support anti-bullying, and those suffering from mental illness. She began her own non-profit called "Never Stop Dreaming INC", to mentor young people and help develop their own inherent gifts.
Meanwhile, Keeva Jackson is considered one of the best players in Wake Forest women's basketball history, earning honorable mention All-America honors during her time in Winston-Salem. In her three years with the Deacs, Jackson led her team in scoring twice (1981: 10.7 // 1982: 14.5), rebounding three times (1981: 7.4 // 1982: 8.5 // 1983: 4.7), and steals two times (1981: 60 // 1982: 82). Jackson's name is still all over the Wake Forest record book as she ranks in the top five in steals for a single season (82 steals in 1982-83) and has the seventh-best career rebounding average (6.9) in the program history.
Other ACC Honorees:
About the ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference, now in its 69th year of competition and 15 members strong, has long enjoyed the reputation as one of the strongest and most competitive intercollegiate conferences in the nation. ACC members Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest continue to build upon the cornerstones on which the league was founded in 1953 with a consistent balance of academics, athletics and integrity. The ACC currently sponsors 27 NCAA sports – 14 for women and 13 for men – with member institutions located in 10 states. Women's gymnastics will become the league's 28th sponsored sport in the 2023-24 academic year. In August 2019, ESPN and the ACC partnered to launch ACC Network (ACCN), a 24/7 national network dedicated to ACC sports and league-wide original programming. For more information, visit theACC.com and follow @theACC on Twitter and on Facebook (facebook.com/theACC).
In the first year of the award, the league is celebrating the individuals who – according to available information – are the first male and female athletes of color to integrate the athletic teams at each current ACC institution. Each school will honor its recipients during the current academic year. Wake Forest's honorees are Robert Grant and Kenneth "Butch" Henry (1964, football), and Keeva Jackson and Sonya Henderson (1981, women's basketball). Grant and Henry were the first Black football student-athletes to enroll at a Division I institution in the South.
The UNITE Award is an initiative of the ACC's Committee for Racial and Social Justice (CORE - Champions of Racial Equity) and was developed and approved by its 15 member institutions.
C.O.R.E was created in June 2020 to support the ACC's commitment to social justice and racial equity. Members of C.O.R.E. include conference office staff members and campus representatives from each of the league's 15 institutions. C.O.R.E.'s mission is to promote and encourage inclusion, racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy.
Moving forward, each school will select one male and one female recipient of the annual ACC UNITE Award.
The UNITE Award will be presented annually to individuals who:
- Best exemplify ACC CORE's mission to promote and encourage racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy;
- Have helped create meaningful, lasting change by improving systems, organizational structures, policies, practices and attitudes;
- Have been a pioneer and/or helped pave the way for minorities either at the institution or in the community
"As a charter member of the ACC, Wake Forest University is proud to participate in this effort to annually honor the incredible trailblazers at each institution. It took deep faith for Bob Grant, Butch Henry, Sonya Henderson and Keeva Jackson to believe that their teammates, the coaching staff, our University leadership and the Winston-Salem community would offer steady support as they embarked on their academic and competitive careers at our University. They were transformational leaders, displaying their abilities, talents, character and fortitude to persevere and mark trails for future student-athletes of color at Wake Forest."
Robert Grant & Kenneth "Butch" Henry, Football
Robert Grant, who is a 2011 Wake Forest Sports Hall Fame inductee, is a true trailblazer at Wake Forest University and in the Winston-Salem community. Grant enrolled at Wake Forest in the fall of 1964 and excelled both on and off the field as he earned All-ACC first team honors in 1966. After his career as a Demon Deacon, Grant was selected 50th overall in the second round of the 1968 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts. In his rookie year, he played in Super Bowl III and despite the loss, Grant eventually got his ring after the Colts beat the Cowboys in Super Bowl V, 16-13.
Meanwhile for Kenneth "Butch" Henry after being recruited as a quarterback made the switch to wide receiver upon his arrival in Winston-Salem. He finished his career as one of the team leaders in receptions during the 1965 (30 catches, 367 yards, two touchdowns) and 1966 (20 catches, 279 yards, two touchdowns) seasons.
The two of them along with Willie Smith were the first Black football players to enroll at a major Division I school in the South. Their legacy at Wake Forest led Athletics to create the first-ever Robert Grant and Kenneth "Butch" Henry Trailblazer Award.
Sonya Henderson & Keeva Jackson, Women's Basketball
After having a standout career at North Forsyth High School, Sonya Henderson enrolled at Wake Forest where she received her B.A. in Mass Communications & Theatre Arts. During her time with the Deacs, Henderson recorded the second-most steals in a single game when she had nine steals against Georgia Tech (Feb. 9, 1985). Henderson was also a strong rebounder, leading her team during the 1984-85 season with an average of 6.5 boards per game. In the season prior, Henderson led her squad in free throw percentage shooting 73.6% from the line.
Upon graduation, Henderson began her professional career in Charlotte before moving and playing in France for a season. After retiring she taught and coached at St. John's International School. Additionally, Henderson has a gift for music and had a successful career in the arts. During her time in Europe, she recorded her first single, "The Atmosphere That Surrounds Me."
Her song became an international hit record that reached the top of dance charts in several countries. Her time in Europe served as a base for Henderson to develop her musical influences. Henderson is also involved with non-profit organizations that support anti-bullying, and those suffering from mental illness. She began her own non-profit called "Never Stop Dreaming INC", to mentor young people and help develop their own inherent gifts.
Meanwhile, Keeva Jackson is considered one of the best players in Wake Forest women's basketball history, earning honorable mention All-America honors during her time in Winston-Salem. In her three years with the Deacs, Jackson led her team in scoring twice (1981: 10.7 // 1982: 14.5), rebounding three times (1981: 7.4 // 1982: 8.5 // 1983: 4.7), and steals two times (1981: 60 // 1982: 82). Jackson's name is still all over the Wake Forest record book as she ranks in the top five in steals for a single season (82 steals in 1982-83) and has the seventh-best career rebounding average (6.9) in the program history.
Other ACC Honorees:
About the ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference, now in its 69th year of competition and 15 members strong, has long enjoyed the reputation as one of the strongest and most competitive intercollegiate conferences in the nation. ACC members Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest continue to build upon the cornerstones on which the league was founded in 1953 with a consistent balance of academics, athletics and integrity. The ACC currently sponsors 27 NCAA sports – 14 for women and 13 for men – with member institutions located in 10 states. Women's gymnastics will become the league's 28th sponsored sport in the 2023-24 academic year. In August 2019, ESPN and the ACC partnered to launch ACC Network (ACCN), a 24/7 national network dedicated to ACC sports and league-wide original programming. For more information, visit theACC.com and follow @theACC on Twitter and on Facebook (facebook.com/theACC).
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