WS Chronicle

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — For generations of Black college athletes whose stories were too often ignored or erased, Fredrick “Fred” O’Neal Whitted made it his life’s work to ensure their legacies endured.

That commitment will now be formally honored.

Whitted, a 1975 graduate of Winston-Salem State University and a nationally respected historian of Black college athletics, has been named to the 2026 John B. McLendon CIAA Hall of Fame Class. His induction will be posthumous, but his influence remains deeply woven into the fabric of the conference and HBCU sports history.

The announcement was made by the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, which will formally induct the 2026 class during the annual Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, held in conjunction with the CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament.

Whitted is one of eight honorees selected for the class.

A class rooted in excellence

Joining Whitted in the 2026 Hall of Fame Class are:

• Jerome “Biggie” Bell Sr., Virginia State University, men’s basketball student-athlete
• Andrea Giscombe, St. Augustine’s University, track and field student-athlete
• Akira Turner, Fayetteville State University, bowling student-athlete
• Otis Stroud, Johnson C. Smith University, administrator and supporter
• Ralph “Pete” Hunter, Virginia Union University, football student-athlete
• Donald Ware, CIAA, football official
• George Leonard, Virginia State University, football student-athlete

The class reflects the breadth of the conference’s impact — from athletes and administrators to officials and historians whose work shaped the CIAA beyond the playing field.

Preserving what history tried to forget

For more than three decades, Whitted dedicated his life to documenting Black college sports with rigor, care, and cultural respect at a time when few institutions were doing so.

He founded Resources 2000, a research and publishing organization created to ensure that the achievements of HBCU student-athletes and coaches were accurately recorded and preserved. Through that work, Whitted authored and produced several landmark publications, including The Black College Sports Encyclopedia, The Black College Alumni Journal, and the Black College Alumni–American Role Models series — resources that became foundational texts for journalists, historians, and educators nationwide.

His scholarship also extended home.

Whitted authored The Rams’ House, widely regarded as the definitive history of Winston-Salem State University basketball, and contributed research to major national projects, including ESPN’s Black Magic documentary series.

At CIAA tournaments and championship events, Whitted was a constant presence — not as a fan alone, but as a witness. He chronicled moments others overlooked, connected generations of alumni, and reminded audiences that the CIAA’s influence on collegiate athletics stretched far beyond box scores and trophies.

A legacy tied to the CIAA’s soul

Whitted’s work was closely aligned with the mission of legendary coach and educator John B. McLendon, for whom the Hall of Fame is named. Whitted collaborated with McLendon in helping establish the HBCU Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame, reinforcing his belief that Black sports history deserved institutional protection, not just personal memory.

Nationally, Whitted was regarded as one of the foremost experts on HBCU athletics — a scholar-advocate whose work ensured that Black college sports remained visible, respected, and documented with integrity.

For Winston-Salem and the broader CIAA community, his induction is both an honor and a reminder: history survives because someone chooses to preserve it.

What happens next

The 2026 John B. McLendon CIAA Hall of Fame Class will be officially enshrined during the conference’s signature week in February, when alumni, students, and fans from across the country gather for the CIAA Tournament.

For Whitted, whose life was devoted to honoring others, the moment represents a full-circle recognition — from historian to history.

And for the communities whose stories he safeguarded, his name now stands permanently among the legends he spent a lifetime uplifting.