Bob Franklin made many attempts to find a fitting home for the heirloom, including offering it to the Smithsonian Institution. With all he's accomplished and overcome, Turner travels as a motivational speaker these days. Keep your ears open, the trumpet is his favorite! Covids return this winter, which caused Turner to miss multiple stretches of practice. But there were a few players on his teamwho were getting workouts from scouts. Regardless of the skulls ultimate identity and resting place, many feel that the attention it is receiving signals a larger shift in perceptions about the importance of the rebellion to American identity. Born in BedfordStuyvesant, a neighborhood in the central portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, Turner is the oldest of five children, with two brothers and two sisters. Alarm spread through the countryside, and the rebels lost the element of surprise. He wants to win championships. He has been credited as a progenitor of jump blues and of early rock and roll. Still, Turner cleared 7-3 this spring and finished second last weekend at the Big 12 Indoor Championships. American JuVaughn Harrison also has cleared 7-7. Though Vernon's youth playing career was taking off, he was still busy managing his brothers and sisters -- often loading them up onto the city bus so he could bring them along with him to practice. No less certain is the fate of Turners skull. Turner pours out the rest early in the book: He lost his mother during his freshman year in high school and his Italian stepfather, Sam, while in college. "It was the 1970s, and Staten Island wasn't known for its affection for black people," says Turner. In honor of Black History Month, Abandoned Country is republishing the following article, which originally appeared in The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press on August 21, 2021 as Its been 190 years since Nat Turners Rebellion. In 1995, Turner split time with the Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions. As a junior in 1988, he led the team in rushing with 1,257 yards on 232 carries, and in scoring with 96 points. I will never, ever be able to pay back the Buffalo Bills for what they did for me, Turner confesses. California Consumer Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information, California Consumer Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. The chain of transmission includes Franklin and Cora Breckinridge, civil rights activists who donated the skull to Hatcher in 2002. I spent my whole life with this skull, Franklin says. And all the while he kept his family situation to himself he says no one in college or the NFL knew. (Photo courtesy of vernonturner.com). The movie "Relentless", based on his life, is currently in pre-production thanks to investments from celebrities Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade, Russell Wilson, and Ciara. Wouldnt surprise me if you saw 7-10 come out of him.. Until 10 pm for eastern NC. Yet another possible Nat Turner skull might have stayed closer to home. The Richard Porter House, where rebels found that the homes namesake had fled, was standing as late as a few years ago. He felt he was being pushed away from classes he wanted to take, and being interested in sciences, he didn't feel comfortable with that. They discussed the movie project and soon Relentless was off and running. You're only 15 years old right now, but I'm almost 50. Hatcher added the relic to his collection of historical artifacts, including a pair of sunglasses from musician Stevie Wonder, and a shirt worn by performer Sammy Davis, Jr. The filmmakers arranged the call. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. * He received a full athletic scholarship to Carson-Newman College from 1986-1989 where I was named . Why wetlands are so critical for life on Earth, Rest in compost? Just being out of the rhythm of competition has really messed with me, Turner said. Hes gotten to the point where he's focusing again on technique, working again on fundamentals such as when to start his curve on his run up. Mini Bio (1) * Vernon M. Turner was born January 6th 1967, in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. Turner probes deep into his soul, however, to reveal other secrets. (Hatcher died in 2019. "I didn't even wanna play quarterback, that's a sissy position," quipped Turner. They were the ones who gave me a job that helped me save my family. Krista and Tatiana Hogan were born October 25, 2006, in Vancouver, B.C. [2], Turner attended Curtis High School on Staten Island where he played football as a quarterback and also lettered in track and field. "I begged and pleaded with God on the plane ride home for another chance.". I am so blessed and grateful that I was given an opportunity to be with the Buffalo Bills. It was a bad sprain as the outside of his ankle touched the ground. I dont know if I was burned out. One head scratcher after another. Returned to OU. In 1949, a man who lives in Southampton County today saw a change purse with a label claiming it was made from Turners skin. These animals can sniff it out. His mother, Jackie, was a drug addict and prostitute who struggled to keep the family intact. Bats and agaves make tequila possibleand theyre both at risk, The new year once started in Marchhere's why, Jimmy Carter on the greatest challenges of the 21st century, This ancient Greek warship ruled the Mediterranean, 3 ways Jimmy Carter changed the world for the better, The meaning of the cross of ashes on Ash Wednesday, This disease often goes under-diagnosedunless youre white, The groundbreaking promise of cellular housekeeping. His legacy is complex diminished in death to ornaments, and lauded then and now as a freedom fighter. Nat Turner was an African-American slave preacher in Virginia who led the bloodiest slave rebellion in American history. Turner acknowledges the past year has been tough. Hatcher had received the skull from two Indiana civil rights activists, a husband and wife who themselves had gotten the skull from a longtime school administrator in Indiana. The 52-year-old former six-year NFL veteran is a successful father of three who resides in Houston, Tx. Michael Blakey is director of William & Marys Institute for Historical Biology. I became obsessed, forgot about boxing, all I cared about was footballand that's how my career started. Turner as a freshman produced disappointing performances in the 2018 NCAA Indoors (fourth) and NCAA Outdoors (sixth). He wasnt invited to the combine. A sign erected by Turner descendants to acknowledge the places where he concealed himself while hiding from authorities has been repeatedly riddled with gunshots. "Vernon Turner's Improbable Journey to the NFL" will air on Fox Sports 1 at 10:30 p.m. EST on Sept. 21. . I dont think I ever had a fear of not getting back where I was. Sex and race are more problematic because there is a lot of crossover in different traits. He concluded his career with the Frankfurt Galaxy and Scottish Claymores in NFLE. These guys helped me mold myself into a professional athlete. Jenni Carlson: Jenni can be reached at 405-475-4125 or jcarlson@oklahoman.com. He won the Big 12 Indoor High Jump title last month. An 1831 woodcut depicted Nat Turner's insurrection. Seems everyone had an idea what happened to Turner after an electric freshman year at OU in 2018. "He told me it was either that or I was the most gifted 14-year-old he'd ever met. Comparing that to DNA of descendants should be able to provide an answer, and can typically be done within months. He was released before the end of the preseason. Turners high school coach connected him to an agency, who reluctantly signed him. One skull is a very small sample of this highly variable world, he said. Phootgraph by Rebecca Hale and Mark Thiessen, National Geographic, Photograph by Jed Winer, National Geographic, Illustration by ullstein bild/ullstein bild/Getty, One of Earth's loneliest volcanoes holds an extraordinary secret. [citation needed], National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, "Ex-NFL player Vernon Turner tells his story, no holds barred", "Carson-Newman carries on football successes", "CarsonNewman rushes to NAIA championship", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vernon_Turner&oldid=1131071940, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 2 January 2023, at 11:55. This guy actually lived the American dream.' "People look at me like this guy is full of crap, they don't believe it all happened to me," he said. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. And while he was there, he figured hed learn as much as he could from some of the best players in the league. His numerous descendants have fanned out from a rural pocket of Tidewater. Many of them had been alive during the attacks. Whats wrong with Turner? This injury could be one piece of evidence that helps identify the skull at the Smithsonian as Turners, said Kelley Fanto Deetz, a Black history scholar who was a consultant for The Birth of a Nation, a 2016 film about the insurrection written and directed by Norfolk native Nate Parker. The Covid shutdown which wiped out both 2020 championships. Those were the questions floating around in the no-excuse world of track and field. I went to a small [Division II] school. tells the inspiring story of how the now 44-year-old Turner moved as a young child from the mean streets of Bedford-Stuyvesant to a quiet neighborhood in Sunnyside, where he discovered a love for. As a favor to Olivieri, SI football legend Dino Mangiero helped Turner hire an agent -- an agent who admittedly didn't think VT had much of a chance at cracking the league. Please be respectful of copyright. Turner hadnt been working much with trainers or coaches as he tried to figure out where to transfer, and it left him in lots of pain when he tried to jump. Rick Francis, a descendant of victims and survivors of the rebellion, is Southampton Countys clerk of the Circuit Court. [8] The New York native finished his collegiate career ranked second in school history with 569 rushing attempts, and fourth with 2,851 rushing yards and 28 rushing touchdowns.[5]. Turner fled and remained in hiding for more than two months until his discovery and capture by a local farmer. Hes humble from the get, saying he had no business ever playing in the NFL at all because it wasnt talent that got him there. The nagging ankle injury that still hurts from time to time. It was a financial strain.. Several had heard reports or read newspaper articles stating that the skull had been donated to Hatcher at a 2002 charity gala for the Civil Rights Hall of Fame, a museum project Hatcher has long championed. During the process, Turner was writing letters to Walter Payton, who responded with some of his own workout regimens. After going unselected in the 1990 NFL Draft, Turner signed as a free agent with the Denver Broncos, but did not make the team. But then a few weeks before the fall semester started, Turner sprained his left ankle playing pick-up basketball. He said that his team is taking great care with the identification of the skull and that the sophisticated techniques theyre employing take time. The Denver Broncos picked up the phone, and Turner was heading to Colorado to join the likes of John Elway and Shannon Sharpe. I wouldnt put anything past him, Langford said. After the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2018, Turner says he was told his scholarship would be increased to a hundred percent. Then all of a sudden, Turner remembered, he had all the money.. "I witnessed one of the best players on the planet and I wanted to be just like him. Eventually Franklin entrusted the skull to the Breckinridges, who in turn donated it to Hatchers Civil Rights Hall of Fame project. Hes in a really good spot, said Kevin Ritter, who coached Turner at Yukon. The very next day, the Buffalo Bills came calling while Vernon was at the dinner table with his family. "The Next Level: A Game I Had To Play!" Dealing with pain and getting back into competitive shape has been a struggle. She, Vernon and, by then, his little brother moved to the man's Staten Island home. He owned an office furniture installation business in North Carolina, moved into the tire manufacturing business, and currently works in the oil refining industry in Houston, Texas. "I was one of the smallest guys, height and weight," said Turner, who stood 5-foot-6, 97 pounds during his freshman year. It takes courage and character for a person to unlock the door to a disturbing past, and that's exactly what Vernon Turner, a former National Football League player and the 1989 Advance Sportsman of the Year, does in his recently self-published autobiography. [1] Among those killed were Hayes and Mary Turner. "God put 10 army men in front of me on that return," said Turner. Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at 405-760-8080 or at btramel@oklahoman.com. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). [6] Despite concluding his senior campaign only second in rushing yards to teammate Robert Thomas, he was selected to the first team All-South Atlantic Conference in 1989. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Walter "Sweetness" Payton was his idol, and the future Hall of Fame running back for the Chicago Bears later corresponded with the Carson-Newman running back with detailed workout recommendations. He was taken to the county seat, then called Jerusalem (now Courtland), tried, convicted and hanged. [9], Since retiring from football, Turner has pursued business interests. Among many Americans, the general details of Nat Turners Rebellion may be fairly well known. He heard through the grapevine VanHootgens days at OU might be limited VanHootgen eventually did step down but Turner ultimately opted to return to Norman because he wanted to work again with high jump coach Jerel Langley. Some of the book's fascinating details are well known to those of us who followed Turner's athletic pursuits. He believes he can jump 7-10. Turner was named an Advance All Star in 1984 and '85, and took home Fugazzi and Fabbri awards during his senior year. Turner referred to his journey as being both "amazing" and "head-scratching". In 2021, he placed fourth in the NCAA Indoor and fifth in the NCAA Outdoor, not with the dizzying heights of 7-7something, but still. That went okay for a while. It becomes clear that despite her lifestyle, Turner's mother played a pivotal role in his development with some real "tough-love." The museum declined the donation on the grounds that it doesnt display human remains. The cast is almost set. Decades ago in Southampton, few people brought up the insurrection in racially mixed company. Turner, a junior, is the first NCAA Indoor High Jump champion in Oklahoma history. The book is broken into four sections -- football quarters -- and despite his troubled younger life, the essence of Turner has remained: He's still optimistic and determined. Its about time, Turner said. Turner talked to teammates, who encouraged him to meet again with VanHootegen. I think these last two meets were big for him. Discovering whether part of him still physically exists will illuminate a formative era in American history and help an expansive family find closure in an honored memorial. Knowing how I was conceived, I chose football because I didn't like people looking at meI always had my helmet on. You either jump high enough or you dont. A road in Southampton County earned the name Blackhead Signpost Road. The final segment (The Fourth Quarter) enthusiastically records Turner's roller-coaster ride through the NFL. He did not compete last season, and the story behind his year away is both complicated and convoluted. And once a director is selected and the announcement is formally made, filming will commence. To hear Turner tell his life story is an experience in and of itself. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Thats something I really need to do for myself.. Drewry said a local doctor took possession of his skeleton. Then he transferred to Arkansas. But Shatsky called Turner and. We'll continue with the possibility of scattered showers and storms until 8 pm for central NC. The Turner family will provide genealogical information as well as DNA samples in hopes that the skull matches their genetic profile. "I'm not afraid of failing, but I'm terrified of not tryingI want people to be the best they can be.". A national champion. Bruce Turner, a Virginia Beach resident and a great-great-great-great-grandson of Nat Turner, is not convinced its his. All rights reserved. OU baseball rewind:David Sandlin's 'outstanding' outing highlights bounce-back week for Sooners. Because for many years I thought I was trash. Some remember him as a fanatical killer, others as a freedom fighter inspired by his faith. His mother was an African native who transmitted a passionate hatred of slavery to her son. Football was on. Try a week on us. 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