Ernie Davis won the Heisman in 1961. Between 1962-2007, 26 of the 46 Heisman Trophy winners have been African American: 1) 1965 - Mike Garrett, USC
2) 1968 - O.J. Simpson, USC
3) 1972 - Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska
4) 1974 - Archie Griffin, Ohio State
5) 1975 - Archie Griffin, Ohio State
6) 1976 - Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh
7) 1977 - Earl Campbell, Texas
8) 1978 - Billy Sims, Oklahoma
9) 1979 - Charles White, USC
10) 1980 - George Rogers, South Carolina
11) 1981 - Marcus Allen, USC
12) 1982 - Herschel Walker, Georgia
13) 1983 - Mike Rozier, Nebraska
14) 1985 - Bo Jackson, Auburn
15) 1987 - Tim Brown, Notre Dame
16) 1988 - Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State
17) 1989 - Andre Ware, Houston
18) 1991 - Desmond Howard, Michigan
19) 1993 - Charlie Ward, Florida State
20) 1994 - Rashaan Salaam, Colorado
21) 1995 - Eddie George, Ohio State
22) 1997 - Charles Woodson, Michigan
23) 1998 - Ricky Williams, Texas
24) 1999 - Ron Dayne, Wisconsin
25) 2005 - Reggie Bush, USC
26) 2006 - Troy Smith, Ohio State
Running Back Ernie Davis was the first African-American player to win the Heisman Trophy, doing so in the year 1961. In one of sports greatest tragedies, Davis passed away two years later from leukemia. He was 23.
Ernie Davis played college ball at Syracuse University. He was drafted (1962) by the Washington Redskins and subsequently traded to the Cleveland Browns but never played a game in the NFL as he was diagnosed with incurable leukemia prior to his rookie season. He passed away less than a year later.
The Year 1934
He was never a Heisman finalists.
1935
1997
elston howard, koufax, Jim brown, ernie Davis(heisman)-submitted by Phil l
heisman trophy
There has never been anyone named Bruce Franklin win the Heisman Trophy.
1935
1944
1939.