Godfrey White, a New Iberia native and a current resident of Oakland Calif., was honored by the Christiana Smith African American Alumni Chapter celebration of its 20th year as a chapter at the recent University of Louisiana at Lafayette homecoming celebration.

As part of the year’s celebration distinguished graduates from each decade since the integration of Southwestern Louisiana Institute was honored.

White earned a Bachelor of Art degree in political science from USL, a Michael Gerber Business Development Certification, completed the General Motors Dealership Academy and is a certified Citadel Estate Planner.

He was the first African-American football player at USL in 1968 and the first African-American to play football at a predominately white university in the Southern region of the United States.

He was appointed by former Governor Kathleen Blanco as the executive director of the Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs for the State of Louisiana. He was founder and first director of Operation Uplift of New Iberia, which provided tutoring services to elementary and high school students.