A Transformational Legacy: Coach Bill Tate Helped Lead the Integration of Southern Collegiate Athletics
6/25/2025 5:33:00 PM | Football
Former Wake Forest head football coach Bill Tate (1964–68) was a trailblazing leader who played a pivotal role in integrating collegiate athletics in the South. In the fall of 1964, he recruited defensive lineman Bob Grant and wide receiver Butch Henry—two of the first Black student-athletes at Wake Forest—marking a historic step forward for the University and the region.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A pioneering leader who left a lasting mark on college athletics and the Wake Forest University community, former head football coach Bill Tate played a pivotal role in integrating Southern collegiate athletics. In the fall of 1964, Tate recruited defensive lineman Bob Grant and wide receiver Butch Henry—two of the first Black student-athletes at Wake Forest. He passed away Tuesday at the age of 93.
The integration movement at Wake Forest began with a critical conversation between Tate and then-University President Harold Tribble, who summoned the coach to his office to discuss the idea. What followed positioned Wake Forest as a standard bearer for racial progress in Southern intercollegiate athletics.
Integrating the football program in the mid-1960s was a bold and risky endeavor. Administrators faced challenges in ensuring that Grant and Henry would be admitted and supported both academically and athletically. At the same time, Tate had to reassure the young men that they would be welcomed and given the opportunity to thrive.
With courage and conviction, Tate helped Wake Forest become the first university in the South to integrate Black student-athletes in 1964. His decision was not without consequences—he received threatening letters from members of the Ku Klux Klan.
Still, Tate remained committed. He spoke candidly with Grant and Henry about the adversity they might encounter, particularly during road games in the Deep South. Together, they made history. That 1964 season, Grant and Henry helped lead the Demon Deacons to a 5–5 record, and Tate was named ACC Coach of the Year.
Grant emerged as a standout player and physical force on the field. He was selected 50th overall in the 1968 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts and went on to play in two Super Bowls, earning a championship ring in Super Bowl V with a 16–13 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Tate served as Wake Forest's head coach through the 1968 season and was instrumental in assembling the roster that would go on to win the 1970 ACC Championship.
Before arriving at Wake Forest, Tate coached at his alma mater, the University of Illinois, from 1959–63. As a player from 1950–52, he earned MVP honors in the 1952 Rose Bowl after rushing for 150 yards and scoring two touchdowns in a 40–7 win over Stanford. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1996.
Quotes Remembering Bill Tate
The integration movement at Wake Forest began with a critical conversation between Tate and then-University President Harold Tribble, who summoned the coach to his office to discuss the idea. What followed positioned Wake Forest as a standard bearer for racial progress in Southern intercollegiate athletics.
Integrating the football program in the mid-1960s was a bold and risky endeavor. Administrators faced challenges in ensuring that Grant and Henry would be admitted and supported both academically and athletically. At the same time, Tate had to reassure the young men that they would be welcomed and given the opportunity to thrive.
With courage and conviction, Tate helped Wake Forest become the first university in the South to integrate Black student-athletes in 1964. His decision was not without consequences—he received threatening letters from members of the Ku Klux Klan.
Still, Tate remained committed. He spoke candidly with Grant and Henry about the adversity they might encounter, particularly during road games in the Deep South. Together, they made history. That 1964 season, Grant and Henry helped lead the Demon Deacons to a 5–5 record, and Tate was named ACC Coach of the Year.
Grant emerged as a standout player and physical force on the field. He was selected 50th overall in the 1968 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts and went on to play in two Super Bowls, earning a championship ring in Super Bowl V with a 16–13 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Tate served as Wake Forest's head coach through the 1968 season and was instrumental in assembling the roster that would go on to win the 1970 ACC Championship.
Before arriving at Wake Forest, Tate coached at his alma mater, the University of Illinois, from 1959–63. As a player from 1950–52, he earned MVP honors in the 1952 Rose Bowl after rushing for 150 yards and scoring two touchdowns in a 40–7 win over Stanford. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1996.
Quotes Remembering Bill Tate
- Former Wake Forest AD Dr. Gene Hooks:
- "Hiring Coach Tate in 1964 remains a great moment in Wake Forest's history. He was the right man at the right time—not just for our football program, but for our entire University community. Bill brought in exceptional young men who helped lay the foundation for the 1970 ACC Championship team, and he did so with integrity, courage, and vision. His legacy is one of character, leadership, and lasting impact."
- Vice President & Director of Athletics John Currie:
- "I had the privilege of meeting Coach Bill Tate during our very first Trailblazer Award ceremony in 2021, and I'll never forget the stories I heard from his former players and others whose lives he touched. He was a man of principle who helped move our University—and college athletics in the South—forward. His commitment to doing what was right, even when it was difficult, left an indelible mark on Wake Forest and our broader community. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this time"
- Football Head Coach Jake Dickert:
- "I'm incredibly thankful for the legacy Coach Tate left behind at Wake Forest. His courage, vision, and leadership paved the way for so many who came after him, including me. As we continue to build this program with purpose and integrity, we do so standing on the shoulders of pioneers like Coach Tate who helped shape the path."
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