Football Athletic Barrier Breakers Abner Haynes, James Bowdre and Leon King

From left, Ken Bahnsen, Abner Haynes, Fred McCain, UNT President Norval Pohl, James Bowdre and Leon King

In the fall of 1956, two young African American men walked onto the football field at North Texas and into its history books. Abner Haynes and Leon King were the first African American student athletes to break the university's color barrier when they joined the freshman football squad as "walk-ons."

Haynes was looking for a school close to Dallas. He and King were friends, stars of their high school team and had vowed to stay together in college. Haynes' father, who had been minister to a church in Denton during Abner's youth, had spoken to North Texas President J.C. Matthews about allowing his son to play. Odus Mitchell had agreed to let them "walk on" and directed that the two players should be treated like the other players.

There were racial incidents, but their teammates soon found out that Haynes and King were superlative athletes. The team bonded and the two were there to stay.

Ken Bahnsen was the freshman coach at the time.

The next year, they moved up to the varsity team to be coached by Odus Mitchell and Fred McCain.

On the varsity team, Haynes and King were joined by teammate James Bowdre.