Building a Lasting Legacy: Prominent Black Graduates of UCO

The University of Central Oklahoma, originally known as Central State College until 1971, has a documented history of African American enrollment during the period of segregation in higher education. 

In 1954, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education, six black women enrolled at Central State College to pursue master’s degrees. 

The Original Six, the group included:

• Elizabeth Hilton Threatt
• Corean Armstrong
• Gertrude Dulan
• Mamie Ealey
• Addie Lee Jordan
• Lanita Burton

In 1955, Murray Samuel Butler III and Alberta Eddens became two of the first black undergraduate students at Central State College. During this time at the institution, Butler was elected to the Student Council, becoming the first African American student to hold that position. 

Booker T. Washington became the first African American student-athlete to graduate from the institution in 1961. A member of the men’s basketball team, Washington’s graduation marked a milestone in the integration of collegiate athletics at the university. He was inducted into the University of Central Oklahoma Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018.

Dr. Paul R. Lehman, Ph.D., earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Central State College. He became the first African American professor hired at UCO in 1976 and later served as Dean of the Graduate College, focusing on American literature. Before his academic career, Lehman was also the first Black journalist and news anchor at KWTV News 9 in Oklahoma City in 1968. 

Black athletes at UCO have excelled across a variety of sports, setting records and earning national recognition for their skill and determination. Their achievements paved the way for future generations and helped define the university’s competitive legacy. 

Their accomplishments are preserved in UCO’s athletic halls, which honor the impact and legacy of those who reached the pinnacle of their sports.

• Melburn Brown Jr. was a tennis standout in the mid-1990s, ranked No. 1 in the nation in doubles and a two-time All-American. He also received the Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship Award for his achievements on and off the court.
• Eddie Robinson excelled in basketball with the Bronchos before moving on to a five-year professional career in the NBA, playing for the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls.
• Clifford Chatman, a 1981 fourth-round NFL draft pick by the New York Giants, was a running back who helped lead the Bronchos to a national runner-up finish in 1979 and finished his career with 3,316 rushing yards, remaining one of the school’s all-time leaders. 
• Dale Alexander, a defensive standout from 1972 to 1975, earned First-team All-America honors and ranks third on UCO’s all-time tackles list with 418 career stops. 
• Keith Traylor enjoyed a 17-season NFL career and won three Super Bowl titles, making him one of the most decorated professional athletes in UCO history.

The legacies of The Original Six, Murray Butler, Alberta Eddens, Booker T. Washington, Dr. Lehman, and UCO’s black student athletes’ accomplishments broke barriers and continue to be recognized by the university and its community.