William Karnet Willis (October 5, 1921 – November 27, 2007) was one of the dominant American football players of the 1940s and 1950s, and is an inductee in the College and Professional Football Halls of Fame. Willis was one of the first African American football players to play professional football. He was signed to a contract with the Cleveland Browns of the AAFC a full year before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Basebal...
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William Karnet Willis (October 5, 1921 – November 27, 2007) was one of the dominant American football players of the 1940s and 1950s, and is an inductee in the College and Professional Football Halls of Fame. Willis was one of the first African American football players to play professional football. He was signed to a contract with the Cleveland Browns of the AAFC a full year before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers. His success helped open the doors of professional sports for other African Americans. Willis married Odessa Porter in 1947 and had three sons, William, Jr., Clement and Dan.
Born in Columbus, Ohio, Willis was the son of Clement and Willana Willis. His father died when he was four years old, and he was raised by his grandfather and mother. He attended Columbus East High School where he both ran track and played football. In football he chose to play on the line so as not to be compared to his older brother, Claude,...
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