Social Justice
Black NFL Referee Officials Come Together To Honor Burl Toler
Burl Toler was the first black official in any major sport who served as an NFL field judge and head linesman beginning in 1965
55 years after Burl Toler became the first Black official in the NFL, current Black officials came together to honor his legacy.
The all-Black officiating crew worked an NFL game for the first time in league history when the Los Angeles Rams faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday.
The crew was led by referee Jerome Boger, which also included umpire Barry Anderson, down judge Julian Mapp, line judge Carl Johnson, side judge Dale Shaw, field judge Anthony Jeffries and back judge Greg Steed.
Burl Toler was the first Black official in any major sport who served as an NFL field judge and head linesman beginning in 1965. Johnny Grier became the NFL’s first black referee in 1988 and Mike Carey served as the first African American to lead an officiating crew at a Super Bowl 20 years later.
When the NFL announced the crew was being assembled last week, league executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent praised the move ‘a testament to the countless and immeasurable contributions of black officials to the game, their exemplary performance, and to the power of inclusion that is the hallmark of this great game.’
Real stories. Real impact. Straight to your inbox. Join thousands others. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter today!
Follow us on Facebook, X, TikTok, Instagram
Boston’s Black Market Nubian faces April 30 closure as community mobilizes to save cultural hub
Man charged in March crash that killed beloved New Jersey mother
Ashlee Jenae’s father launches GoFundMe to help family bury late influencer
Pregnant rapper and nursing student Qualeisha “Siditty” Barnes fatally shot in Atlanta
Kyren Lacy’s parents file wrongful death lawsuit against Louisiana State Police
Shaquille O’Neal pays for funeral costs for 12‑year‑old Jada West, Georgia officials say
New Jersey police reach $4 million settlement with children of woman killed by ex-husband, a former police officer
Asbury Park High School: Crossover event esports and history with Tina Watson
Jury awards California woman $15 million after supervisor called her n-word
GoFundMe launched for Cleveland deacon recovering after brutal attack outside church
OWN greenlights first-ever ‘Belle Collective’ spinoff Belle Collective: Birmingham
Hazel Scott’s legacy returns to Harlem in free outdoor film screening
Olympic Gymnast Frederick Richard sets world record, raises $50K for Ugandan youth
Renee Ferguson, trailblazing investigative journalist, dies at 75
“AfroPoP Digital Shorts” returns to the land with “Sweet Samara,” climate and abolitionist film
-
Crime & Justice2 weeks agoGoFundMe launched for Cleveland deacon recovering after brutal attack outside church
-
Crime & Justice2 weeks agoKansas City woman shot five times during Uber ride
-
Community2 weeks agoDallas barber creates sensory‑friendly haircut experiences for neurodivergent children
-
Community1 week agoGoFundMe launched for family of 7‑month‑old girl killed in Brooklyn shooting
-
Social Justice2 weeks agoWashington D.C. Airbnb squatter sues homeowner for $500,000
-
Crime & Justice2 weeks agoFlorida Vice Mayor found slain at home was sister of Parkland survivor who died by suicide
-
In Memoriam2 weeks agoDee Freeman, veteran actress known for The Young and the Restless and Sistas, dies at 66
-
Community2 weeks agoArkansas mother fights for her life as she awaits rare dual organ transplant
-
Science2 weeks agoVictor Glover makes history on Artemis II as crew travels toward the moon
-
New Jersey3 days agoAshlee Jenae’s father launches GoFundMe to help family bury late influencer