WSSU graduate Fred Whitted leaves lasting mark on CIAA and HBCU sports history
Though his induction into the CIAA Hall of Fame came posthumously, Winston-Salem State University alumnus Fred Whitted’s impact on CIAA and HBCU sports was unmistakable.
Whitted, a 1975 WSSU graduate who died Oct. 3, 2025, was inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame during the CIAA Basketball Tournament held in February in Baltimore. He was 72.
His sister, Katherine Cardona, and five other family members attended the ceremony, which coincided with WSSU’s women’s basketball team winning its first CIAA championship.
Cardona provided a glimpse into the skills and dedication Whitted exhibited while carving a niche as the premier historian of CIAA athletics, if not the entire world of HBCU sports. He was a writer, researcher and historian who loved CIAA sports, and made it his mission to ensure the great stories and accomplishments in HBCU sports would not be forgotten.
“He loved history. He had a great interest in details and statistics,” said Cardona. “He didn’t see enough written about HBCU sports, and he had a passion to see that those stories were recorded.”
Whitted, who lived in Fayetteville, frequently traveled with Fayetteville State University teams, riding team buses, recording statistics and writing stories. He enjoyed delving into stacks of old newspapers and photos to find information that would have otherwise been lost.
Cardona said her brother’s interest in CIAA sports was nurtured by a family that included several Livingstone College graduates.
Whitted wrote several books published about HBCU sports, including the nationally acclaimed “Black College Sports Encyclopedia.” Among his research-based publications are “The Rams House” (WSSU athletics and their championship quests) and “Fayetteville, North Carolina” (Black America Series) Volumes 1 and 2.
He contributed to several other publications, including the “Black College StatPak” and the “Black College Answer Book” which led to publication of the encyclopedia. Many of his books are available on Amazon.
Perhaps fitting for the proud WSSU graduate, his last book documented CIAA women’s basketball from the 1920s.
Whitted’s research and writing made him a valuable resource for CIAA sports information directors, who often relied on his expertise to compile statistics and historical records for multiple teams.
But his knowledge and reputation weren’t limited to the CIAA.
Whitted was featured as an expert in the 2008 ESPN documentary, “Black Magic.” He served as a resource to the Onnidan Group and other media outlets. He also published a series of books on the accomplishments of notable women in athletics and other important roles in the community and across the nation.
“He did a lot of interviews and talked to a lot of people,” Cardona said. “Otherwise, there may have been a lot of achievements that weren’t recognized.”
Whitted was a founding member of Family Fellowship Worship Center, where for more than 30 years, until the very day of his hospitalization, he led and participated in a range of ministries. He was a member of the Board of Trustees, managed the food pantry, assisted with media, and ministered to younger adults through multiple outreach and mentoring programs.
At WSSU, he was active in sports and campus activities. After graduating with a degree in political science and history, he regularly returned to campus and traveled to attend games and other HBCU events.
As a young adult, Whitted traveled to Africa with his brother, gaining a deeper understanding of the history and contributions of his people. It was an experience that sparked his passion for research and documentation.
Cardona, the only sibling in the family group in Baltimore, was given a certificate and a plaque in commemoration of her brother’s induction.
During Whitted’s recognition, family members were called to the stage to answer questions about the inductee by CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams Parker.
“The family shared who he was, how he was, how we could see his personality and how it connected to the work he did,” Cardona said.
