Grambling native Jon Moss has returned to her hometown of Grambling to manage The Eddie Robinson Museum. The museum is a matriarch in the city of Grambling that brings fans, spectators and alumni from all over the world.
The museum shows a part of history that most would consider, the most winning coach in college football who has sent over 200 players to the NFL.
“I grew up with the Robinson family, so I would consider myself an advocate for the museum, its important to me that things here are done right,” expressed Moss.
Being the daughter of late Ray Moss, once a photographer for Grambling State University, Moss expressed that the best part of walking throughout the museum is seeing the photos her father snapped of the legendary coach in his prime. With the same style of posing you can distinguish which photos are a “Moss original.”
“Since the museum is housed on a university it has different needs from other museums where you have to accommodate the university as well as the community.”
As manager and event coordinator, Moss takes on many job titles at the museum. Also serving with the Secretary of State Tom Schedler, she keeps him updated on the progress of the museum from the information, rules and regulations, etc. Moss also takes on the role of increasing revenue to fund the museum. With Friends Group or United States Federation of Friends of Museums (USFFM), the group’s purpose is to encourage volunteer efforts for museums, and to exchange information among friends’ organizations both nationally and internationally is one outlet that raises money for the museum.
Always taking into consideration getting the university involved more, Moss sent out a campus wide email to all the departments giving the importance of the history of sports and the legendary coach. Having including this history in two or three professors classes more and more students have begun to visit the museum often on assignments from professors for three semesters now.
“The museum, contrary to what most believe, is not a ‘sports museum’ it tells a part of history that is not just ‘Black history’,” expressed Moss.
But Moss’s ultimate plan for the museum is to reach out to schools across the state. Students can learn about a part of history that “isn’t recognized,” sports history.
While visitors pour into the museum each day more and more they would not think to believe the museum is far from complete.
“The museum is becoming more interactive,” says Moss.
With the interactive part of the museum the students, visitors and fans of the legendary coach get a chance to run through tires and learn how to throw a complete pass.
Moss believes by recognizing a coach as great as Eddie Robinson provides a gift to those who didn’t know him. To get the chance to see the remarkable changes he brought to Grambling State Universities football team and those who knew him to reminisce on how he changed the sport in a way that no other coach could have, by teaching young boys how to become men.