Herman Boone to Address Annual Meeting
Herman Boone made quite an impression on those attending The Chamber's 100th Anniversary "Night of Notables" celebration at the Dunn Center last May. Coach Boone impressed Chamber leaders so much, in fact, he was soon after asked to keynote the upcoming Annual Meeting on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 at Nash Community College.
Herman "Ike" Boone, one of twelve children, grew up in the Happy Hill neighborhood of Rocky Mount. Following graduation from Booker T. Washington High School, he attended North Carolina College where he earned his B.A. and M.S. degrees.
Boone accepted his first teaching and coaching job in 1958 and later coached at E.J. Hayes High School in Williamston, where his football teams had a record of 99 wins and 8 losses in a nine-year period. His 1966 team was recognized by Scholastic Magazine as "Number One Football Team in America." Boone was named Coach of the Year six times!
In 1969, he accepted the Assistant Football Coach position at T.C. Williams High in Alexandria,Virginia. Following integration of the schools in 1971, he became the first Head Coach at the consolidated school.
It was here that Boone molded a championship team ranked second in the nation amidst the turbulent racial tension of the period. His remarkable achievements against all odds prompted then-President Richard Nixon to exclaim: "This is the team that saved the city of Alexandria."
Recognized across the U.S. for his character building achievements and his passion for the game, Coach Boone was the inspiration for the Disney Studios hit movie, Remember the Titans starring superstar Denzel Washington.
