Chargers Black History Month | Los Angeles Chargers - chargers.com
PLACES TO VOLUNTEER
PLACES TO VISIT
MUSEUMS CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES
COMMUNITY IMPACT
Celebrating Black History Month With Nikki High
High experienced her community's love and support two years ago when she opened Octavia's Bookshelf, a Black-owned bookstore with a focus on Black, indigenous and other authors of color.
"I think the reason that Octavia's Bookshelf has been so important in the community at large — with such a small timeframe — is because of the transparency and because the community really wanted something like this to exist," High said.
Celebrating Black History Month with Brandon Smith
Smith co-founded the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP) upon being released from prison in 2014.
FFRP is a tuition-free fire academy and job placement program for marginalized communities in California that helps current and formerly incarcerated people build firefighting careers. To date, the FFRP has helped more than 300 formerly incarcerated people find jobs as firefighters.
CELEBRATING THE IMPACT OF FORMER BOLTS
Herb Travenio
The former Chargers kicker was a trailblazer on the gridiron and also served in the Vietnam War.
Herb Travenio only played pro football for two seasons, yet he was able to be an important trailblazer in the sport. Travenio was among one of first Black kickers in pro football playing for the Bolts in the AFL in 1964 and 1965 under Sid Gillman, who is a member of the Chargers Hall of Fame.
As a member of the Marines in early adulthood, Travenio returned during the Vietnam War to help and train other troops. He is one of 29 NFL personnel who served in the military during the war.
Jim Hill
Before legendary sports anchor Jim Hill got his start in television and became one of the well-known faces in Los Angeles and around the country, he was the one being interviewed.
Hill was the Chargers' first round pick (No. 18 overall) in the 1968 NFL Draft coming out of Texas A&M-Kingsville and burst onto the scene. Playing as free safety, Hill would notch seven interceptions and two fumble recoveries while playing all 14 games in 1969.
He played for the Bolts until 1971, appearing in 42 games (38) starts with nine interceptions and three fumble recoveries.
Ernie Barnes
Born in Durham, North Carolina during the height of the Jim Crow era, Barnes is known as the first (and possibly only) American professional athlete to become a well-known and noted painter.
With his art displaying a unique style of movement, Barnes would share powerful messages and imagery that depicted many aspects of his life. He captured themes of his experiences he saw growing up through the Jim Crow era and segregated south.
Barnes would then move on to the Chargers in 1961 and spend two seasons with the Bolts. He played in 13 total games (five starts) with the Bolts before moving on to the Broncos where he would spend two seasons. His professional football career would come to an end in 1965 after suffering a foot injury playing in the Canadian Football League.