CWU to welcome first Black female NFL coach for Black History Month event

Jennifer King made history in 2021 when she became the first full-time Black female coach in the National Football League after serving as an intern with the Washington Commanders during the 2020 season.

On Thursday, February 5, in celebration of Black History Month, Central Washington University will welcome King for a presentation focused on her long and varied career in sport management.

King’s speech will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the SURC Ballroom, with doors opening at 6 p.m. At past speaking engagements, she has emphasized the vital importance of breaking new ground in pursuit of your dreams, as she herself has done as both a player and coach.

“It’s so important for you to find something that you love,” King said in a speech given at Cornell University in 2024. “Don’t be afraid to better yourself and don’t be afraid to make that leap into the unknown. When you get opportunities in life, you have to take them.”

King played in the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA) as a quarterback and wide receiver, and coached football at Dartmouth before making the leap to the NFL with the Commanders. She also coached with the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears.

The February 5 event at CWU is free and open to the public. It is made possible through sponsorship from the CWU Multicultural Center, the Rotary Club of Yakima, OIC of Washington, and the Africana and Black Studies, and Women Gender and Sexuality Studies programs.