Burl Toler, Sr.
Burl Toler, Sr. was born on May 9, 1928 in Memphis, Tennessee. He was one of four children born to Pullman Porter A.W. Toler and educator Annie King Toler. Throughout his childhood, Toler’s parents stressed education. Upon graduating from high school, Toler decided to enroll in Lemoyne College in Memphis, Tennessee. In the early 1950s, Toler moved to San Francisco, California enrolling in the City College of San Francisco. Toler played on the college football team and was named All-American player in the Junior College division. This honor afforded him the opportunity to receive a full four year scholarship to play football at the University of San Francisco.
Toler majored in education while playing as a linebacker with the University of San Francisco Dons. In 1951, Toler and his team were undefeated with a perfect 9-0 season. Toler was drafted into the National Football League (NFL) in 1952 by the Cleveland Browns. He injured his knee during an all-star game that ended his opportunity to play professional football. Shortly thereafter, he became a teacher at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in San Francisco. He also began officiating college games in the San Francisco area. Toler became the first African American football official for the NFL in 1965, later officiating three NFL Super Bowl games. He retired as a NFL official in 1991. The book Undefeated, Untied and Uninvited, the story of the 1951 University of San Francisco Dons has been turned into a screenplay by former San Francisco 49er player Jamie Williams.
During the course of his seventeen year career at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, Toler served as the first African American secondary school principal in the district. The city council honored Toler by renaming the school Burl A. Toler Middle School. Toler was inducted in the City College and University of San Francisco Hall of Fame. He received several awards including the Isaac Hayes Achievement in Sports Award and the University of San Francisco Alumnus of the Year. The Burl A. Toler, Sr. Scholarship has been named in Toler’s honor at St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in San Francisco.
Toler retired and lived in San Francisco, but he continued to work as an evaluator and recruiter for NFL referees until his passing on August 16, 2009 at the age of 81.
Toler was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on April 7, 2006.
A2006.069
Male
4/7/2006
Toler
Manassas High School
LeMoyne-Owen College
University of San Francisco
City College of San Francisco
Burl
Memphis
TOL03
Summer
Tennessee
Anywhere Warm
None
California
5/9/1928
Bay Area/San Francisco
United States
Health Food
8/16/2009
Football referee Burl Toler, Sr. (1928 - 2009 ) was the first African American official in the National Football League.
National Football League
Benjamin Franklin Middle School
City College of San Francisco
Peabody Hotel
Brown
Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Burl Toler, Sr.'s interview
Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Burl Toler, Sr. lists his favorites
Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes his mother's family background
Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes his father's family background
Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes his maternal grandfather
Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes his earliest childhood memories
Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls his family life as a child in Memphis, Tennessee
Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes the sights, sounds and smells of his childhood
Tape: 1 Story: 9 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes his experiences in elementary school
Tape: 1 Story: 10 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes his maternal relatives' professions
Tape: 1 Story: 11 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls his personality during elementary school
Tape: 1 Story: 12 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes the role of church in his childhood
Tape: 1 Story: 13 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls his experiences at Memphis' Manassas High School
Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes his experiences at Memphis' Lemoyne College
Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes his experiences at the City College of San Francisco
Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Burl Toler, Sr. remembers Oakland, California's DeFremery Recreation Center
Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls playing football at the University of San Francisco, pt. 1
Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls playing football at the University of San Francisco, pt. 2
Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes his career in education in San Francisco
Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls the accolades he received from teachers and students
Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls earning a graduate degree at the University of San Francisco
Tape: 2 Story: 9 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls becoming a National Football League official
Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls his experience of racial discrimination on the University of San Francisco football team
Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes his interactions with Pete Rozelle
Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls his early career as a football referee
Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes his career as a National Football League official
Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Burl Toler, Sr. reflects upon the growing number of black NFL referees
Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls experiencing discrimination as a black NFL referee
Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls his work as an evaluator of NFL referees
Tape: 3 Story: 8 - Burl Toler, Sr. talks about his wife and children
Tape: 3 Story: 9 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls working at the City College of San Francisco
Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Burl Toler, Sr. recalls serving as City College of San Francisco's personnel director
Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes his involvement in the community
Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes his life since his retirement in the 1990s
Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Burl Toler, Sr. reflects upon his life
Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Burl Toler, Sr. describes how he would like to be remembered
Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Burl Toler, Sr. narrates his photographs