| Harry R. Jefferson | |
| Birth Date: | 12 May 1899 |
| Birth Place: | Parkersburg, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Player Sport1: | Football |
| Player Years2: | 1917 |
| Player Team2: | West Virginia State |
| Player Years3: | 1918–1921 |
| Player Team3: | Ohio |
| Player Positions: | Guard, center |
| Coach Sport1: | Football |
| Coach Years2: | 1922 |
| Coach Team2: | Kelly Miller HS (WV) |
| Coach Years3: | 1923 |
| Coach Team3: | Wilberforce |
| Coach Years4: | 1924 |
| Coach Team4: | Kelly Miller HS (WV) |
| Coach Years5: | 1925–1929 |
| Coach Team5: | Bluefield (WV) |
| Coach Years6: | 1930–1931 |
| Coach Team6: | North Carolina A&T |
| Coach Years7: | 1932–1933 |
| Coach Team7: | Bluefield State |
| Coach Years8: | 1934–1948 |
| Coach Team8: | Virginia State |
| Coach Years9: | 1949–1956 |
| Coach Team9: | Hampton |
| Coach Sport10: | Basketball |
| Coach Years11: | 1924 |
| Coach Team11: | Kelly Miller HS (WV) |
| Coach Years12: | 1934–1949 |
| Coach Team12: | Virginia State |
| Coach Sport13: | Baseball |
| Coach Years14: | 1924 |
| Coach Team14: | Wilberforce |
| Admin Years1: | 1924–1925 |
| Admin Team1: | Kelly Miller HS (WV) |
| Admin Years2: | 1925–1930 |
| Admin Team2: | Bluefield State |
| Admin Years3: | 1930–1932 |
| Admin Team3: | North Carolina A&T |
| Admin Years4: | 1932–1934 |
| Admin Team4: | Bluefield State |
| Admin Years5: | 1949–1957 |
| Admin Team5: | Hampton |
| Admin Years6: | 1961–1965 |
| Admin Team6: | CIAA (commissioner) |
| Overall Record: | 173–92–25 (college football) |
| Bowl Record: | 1–0 |
| Championships: | 3 black college national (1927, 1928, 1936) 2 MAA (1927–1928) 4 CIAA (1936, 1938, 1939, 1945) |
| Awards: | All-Ohio center (1921) NAIA Hall of Fame (1961) Virginia State University Hall of Fame (1980) CIAA Hall of Fame (1982) Bluefield State Hall of Fame (teams) (2008) AFCA Trailblazer Award (2010) |
Harry Rupert "Big Jeff" Jefferson (May 12, 1899 – April 24, 1966)[1] was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Wilberforce University (1923), Bluefield State College (1925–1929, 1932–1933), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (1930–1931), Virginia State University (1934–1948), Hampton University (1949–1959), compiling a career college football coaching record of 173–92–25. Jefferson led his teams to black college football national championships in 1927, 1928, and 1936. Jefferson was the first chairman and charter member of the National Athletic Steering Committee (NASC) in 1951. Later, Jefferson served as president of the NASC in 1957 and was honorary president in 1959. Jefferson was also honored by the NASC in 1958 for 35 years "contributed to the development of youth through athletic coaching and administration." Jefferson was also the first commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in 1961. In college, he was a founding member of the Phi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha at Ohio University. Jefferson died of a heart attack, on April 24, 1966, at Mercy Douglas Hospital in Philadelphia.[2] His funeral was held at Arlington National Cemetery.