Chuck Cooper Foundation Honors Duquesne with Trailblazer Award

President Ken Gormley accepted the Chuck Cooper Foundation Trailblazer Award on behalf of Duquesne University at the seventh annual Chuck Cooper Foundation Awards Luncheon on April 10.

The honor is bestowed upon a company or individual whose efforts have helped to establish the foundation and preserve the legacy of the late Chuck Cooper, a Duquesne basketball star who became the first African-American drafted by an NBA team.

The foundation presented the award to the University because of its support of the Chuck Cooper Foundation and the creation of the Chuck Cooper Classic. Held annually, the Chuck Cooper Classic is part of the Duquesne men’s basketball schedule. A portion of ticket sales from this designated home game are donated to the Chuck Cooper Foundation, and the Chuck Cooper Scholars for that academic year are introduced.