COURTESY LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE

An artist’s rendering of Livingstone’s Alumni Stadium with blue artificial turf replacing the grass field as well as upgrades to the throwing and jumping areas as part of a $2.8 million project funded by HBCU Field of Dreams.

SALISBURY – The birthplace of black college football has broken ground on a new track and field with support from a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee.

Livingstone launched a full remodel of its track and field, converting from a grass to artificial turf painted in Livingstone blue, at a price tag of $2.8 million. Willie Lanier, who played linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1967-1977 and founder of HBCU Field of Dreams, is leading the fundraising initiative. Lanier, who played collegiately at Morgan State, is the catalyst for the upgrades, the first in 20 years when the track was added, and seating installed on the visitors’ side.

HBCU Field of Dreams, which is managed by Lanier’s nonprofit Honey Bear Project, collaborates with historically Black colleges and universities to underwrite improvements to athletic fields. The nonprofit, which has a goal of raising $50 million over three years, has previously funded projects at Virginia Union and Central State.

“Livingstone College is where it all began,” said Lanier, who won Super Bowl IV with the Chiefs. “What occurred on Livingstone’s front lawn nearly 130 years ago paved the way for people like me.”

The first intercollegiate black football game was played on Dec. 27, 1892, on Livingstone’s front lawn against Johnson C. Smith.

The goal of Lanier’s HBCU Field of Dreams is to raise $50 million over the next three years with minimal to no cost to the 27 participating schools, and to bring HBCUs’ athletic facilities up to a competitive level by providing new turf football fields to programs playing on grass for more than 50 years and resurfacing existing fields that are outdated and in need of repair.

“Through the Honey Bear Project’s initiative, we will increase the students’ level of competitiveness while also bringing awareness to the plight of HBCUs’ athletic programs,” Lanier said.

“Through this partnership, we are able to commence a long-overdue upgrade to our athletic field,” said Lamonte Massie-Sampson, Livingstone’s athletic director. “The timing could not be more perfect as Livingstone will celebrate and host the 130th anniversary of black college football in 2022.”

“We are grateful to Mr. Lanier for what he is doing for HBCUs,” said Livingstone President Jimmy Jenkins Sr. “This collaboration lessens the load for institutions like ours that are enrollment-driven. We are excited about the pride these improvements will instill in our student-athletes and our college family as a whole.”

In addition to the field, track upgrades will include the high jump apron, throwers’ circles and jumping runways.

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