Julius Franks
Franks, c. 1942 | |
| No. 63 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Guard |
| Personal information | |
| Born | September 5, 1922 Macon, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | November 26, 2008 (aged 86) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 187 lb (85 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Hamtramck (MI) |
| College | Michigan |
| NFL draft | 1944: undrafted |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
Julius "Julie" Franks, Jr. (September 5, 1922 – November 26, 2008) was a civil rights leader and an All-American guard who played football at the University of Michigan from 1941 to 1942. Franks wore #62 as a varsity letterman in 1941 and #63 in 1942. Franks was the first (or second depending on the source) African-American University of Michigan player to become an All-American in football. Illness cut short his collegiate athletic career.
After Michigan, Franks pursued a career in dentistry. He also became an active community leader who contributed his time to public service and who helped to integrate Grand Rapids, Michigan by financing home construction in a majority Caucasian neighborhood.