The Prairie View Interscholastic League (PVIL) was the organization that governed academic and athletic competitions between African-American high schools in Texas for much of the 20th century. The organization's structure and operations were similar to the

University Interscholastic League The University Interscholastic League (UIL) is an organization that creates rules for and administers almost all athletic, musical, and academic contests for public primary and secondary schools in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the largest organ ...

(UIL) and it disbanded shortly after the UIL admitted black high schools in the 1960s. A number of former PVIL football players were inducted into the

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...

after successful professional careers.

History

The Texas Interscholastic League of Colored Schools (TILCS) was formed in 1920 by the Colored Teachers State Association of Texas and the Negro School Division of the State Department of Education. In 1923, TILCS came under the control of Prairie View A & M College and its name became the Prairie View Interscholastic League. PVIL competitions included athletic events,

extemporaneous speaking Extemporaneous speaking (extemp, or EXT) is a speech delivery style/speaking style, and a style used in specific forensic competitions. The competitive speech event is based on research and original analysis, done with a limited-preparation; in t ...

declamation Declamation (from the Latin: ''declamatio'') is an artistic form of public speaking. It is a dramatic oration designed to express through articulation, emphasis and gesture the full sense of the text being conveyed. History In Ancient Rome, decl ...

and music. By 1927, 300 schools belonged to the PVIL. In 1939

Yates High School Jack Yates Senior High School is a public high school located at 3650 Alabama Street, very near Texas Southern University, in the historic Third Ward in Houston, Texas. Yates High School handles grades nine through twelve and is part of the Hous ...

(Houston) coach Andrew "Pat" Patterson asked the principal of Yates, William S. Holland, to meet with E. B. Evans, the president of Prairie View A&M, to discuss regulating American football and establishing a football league.Sherrod, Rick. ''Texas High School Football Dynasties'' (Sports History Series).

The History Press The History Press is a British publishing company specialising in the publication of titles devoted to local and specialist history. It claims to be the United Kingdom's largest independent publisher in this field, publishing approximately 300 ...

, 2013. , 9781609496128. p
7273
Rick Sherrod, author of ''Texas High School Football Dynasties'', described Patterson as the "architect" of the PVIL football league.Sherrod, Rick. ''Texas High School Football Dynasties'' (Sports History Series).

, 2013. , 9781609496128. p
72
Initially only schools in urban areas were a part of the football league. Originally there were 21 schools, but the membership expanded to the point where schools needed to be divided into conferences based on their sizes. The league was divided into 1A and 2A conferences by 1948. Conferences 3A and 4A were established by 1952 and in 1960, respectively.Sherrod, Rick. ''Texas High School Football Dynasties'' (Sports History Series).

, 2013. , 9781609496128. p
73
In 1964, discussions began on the possibility of UIL admission for black Texas high schools. The PVIL began to merge with the UIL, and schools in urban areas played their last PVIL football seasons in 1966. All sports competition transitioned to the UIL by the spring of 1970 and the organization disbanded that year. The Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Association (PVILCA), an organization for former PVIL coaches and athletes, was later formed to preserve the league's history and to honor its participants. League memorabilia is displayed at a community center run by

The University of Texas The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public university, public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 stud ...

Houston Chronicle All-Time PVIL Football Team

The

Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. ...

named a team of all-time PVIL football players in a 1992 list. Mel Farr

Charley Taylor Charles Robert Taylor (September 28, 1941 – February 19, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver for 13 seasons with the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college foot ...

, Dalworth High School (Grand Prairie), wide receiver^† *

Warren Wells Warren Wells (November 14, 1942 – December 27, 2018) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL). He played with the Detroit Lio ...

, Beaumont

Hebert High School Hebert High School was a traditionally black high school in the South Park Independent School District in Beaumont, Texas, US. It was founded in the early 20th century to serve the black community, and became an accredited high school in 1923. In ...

, wide receiver *

Cliff Branch Clifford Branch Jr. (August 1, 1948 – August 3, 2019) was an American professional football wide receiver who played for the Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders during his entire 14-year National Football League (NFL) career. He won three NFL cham ...

, Houston Worthing High School, wide receiver * Jerry LeVias, Beaumont Hebert High School, end *

Gene Upshaw Eugene Thurman Upshaw Jr. (August 15, 1945 – August 20, 2008) was an American professional American football, football guard (gridiron football), guard who played for the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League (AFL) and later the Nati ...

, Robstown High School, offensive lineman^† *

Marvin Upshaw Marvin Allen Upshaw (November 22, 1946 – June 4, 2024) was an American professional American football, football player who was a defensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Trinity Tigers footbal ...

, Robstown High School, offensive lineman *

Ernie Ladd Ernest L. Ladd (November 28, 1938 – March 10, 2007), nicknamed "the Big Cat", was an American professional American football, football defensive tackle and professional wrestling, professional wrestler. A standout athlete in high school, Ladd ...

, Orange High School, offensive lineman * Clarence Williams, Sweeny Carver High School, offensive lineman * Otis Taylor, Houston Worthing High School, quarterback * Gene Washington, Baytown Carver High School, running back * Duane Thomas,

Lincoln High School (Dallas) Lincoln High School is public high school located in Dallas, Texas ( USA) which enrolls students in grades 9-12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District. Lincoln's magnet school offers Radio/Television/Film, Print Journalism, and ...

, running back *

Tody Smith Lawrence "Tody" Edward Smith (December 24, 1948 – July 18, 1999) was an American professional football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills. He played college football ...

, Beaumont Charlton-Pollard High School, defensive lineman *

Bubba Smith Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith (February 28, 1945 – August 3, 2011) was an American professional football defensive end and actor. Smith played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Colts, Oakland Raiders, and Houston Oilers. ...

, Beaumont Charlton-Pollard High School, defensive lineman *

Joe Greene Charles Edward Greene (born September 24, 1946), better known as "Mean" Joe Greene, is an American former professional football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1969 to 1981. A ...

, Temple Dunbar High School, defensive lineman^† *

Harvey Martin Harvey Banks Martin (November 16, 1950 – December 24, 2001) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys from 1973 until 1983. He starred at South Oak Clif ...

South Oak Cliff High School South Oak Cliff High School (colloquially referred to as SOC, pronounced "sock") is a public secondary school located in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas, United States. South Oak Cliff High School enrolls students in grades 9- 12 and is a pa ...

(Dallas), defensive lineman * Dick Lane, Austin Anderson High School, linebacker^† * Tony Guillory, Beaumont Hebert High School, linebacker *

Emmitt Thomas Emmitt Earl Thomas (born June 3, 1943) is an American former professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the now defunct Bishop College. He played professionally as a cornerback for ...

Angleton High School Angleton High School is a public high school located just outside the city of Angleton, Texas, United States in unincorporated Brazoria County. It is classified as a 5A school by the University Interscholastic League (UIL). It is a part of th ...

, linebacker^† *

Mel Farr Melvin Farr (November 3, 1944 – August 3, 2015) was an American professional football player and businessman. A native of Beaumont, Texas, Farr played college football as a halfback on the 1965 and 1966 UCLA Bruins football teams that were ...

, Beaumont Hebert High School, defensive back * Miller Farr, Beaumont Hebert High School, defensive back * Ken Houston, Lufkin Dunbar High School, defensive back^† *

Abner Haynes Abner Haynes (September 19, 1937 – July 18, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a halfback and return specialist in the American Football League (AFL). He played college football for the North Texas State Eagles and w ...

, Dallas Lincoln High School, defensive back ^† Inducted into

References

{{reflist High school sports associations in the United States Sports organizations established in 1920 Sports in Texas