During the month of February, in honor of Black History Month, the NCHSAA website will feature information about African-Americans who have made major contributions to the great tradition of high school sports in our state. We hope you find these both entertaining and informative. Our thanks to Rick Strunk, former NCHSAA Associate Commissioner, on his research into many of these articles and Championships.

The late Dr. Wiley "Army" Armstrong was one of the most influential figures in high school athletics in the state for many years as he served as the executive director of the North Carolina High School Athletic Conference (NCHSAC), the organization for black high schools.

Born in Edgecombe County and a 1931 graduate of Shaw University, Dr. Armstrong received his M.D. degree from Meharry Medical College. He also coached at the old Ligon High School in Raleigh as well as at Shaw and at Fayetteville State Universities.

For 15 years, Dr. Armstrong directed the efforts of the NCHSAC, which included over 100 high schools and contested classified championships in several sports.  He also helped those schools join the NCHSAA when those two organizations merged in 1968.

He was very active in Rocky Mount civic and church affairs during his career as well as a number of important medical societies and boards before his death in 1981. He is a member of the Shaw University Hall of Fame.

Armstrong was inducted into the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in the class of 1997-98. He also was recognized as one of the “100 To Remember” administrators during the NCHSAA’s 100th anniversary.