Curtis W. Miranda

Miranda ~ On a mild fall day of November 26, 1937, Curtis W. Miranda was born in Jacksonville, Florida to Henry and Ethel Brooks Miranda. The youngest of three sons, he showed talent as a gifted athlete by age fourteen in Duval County schools, lettering in football, basketball, and track, and selected by peers as "Most Athletic" of his senior class. He graduated from Matthew W. Gilbert High School in 1957 and received a full athletic scholarship to attend Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU).

Curtis was a formidable force on the gridiron. In high school, he was selected for high school All Conference football teams (1954, 1955, and 1956). He led Gilbert to undefeated seasons in 1954 and 1956. While at FAMU, he earned All Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors and Associated Press All American Team honors (1959, 1960, and 1961). Curtis was considered one of the strongest linemen on the team and was selected as Football Player of the Year in 1961 by the 100% Wrong Club of Atlanta, Georgia, which was founded in 1934 to recognize outstanding black athletes. In 1962, Curtis became the first lineman from FAMU and Jacksonville to be drafted by what is now the National Football League. He played for the New York Giants and for the Hamilton Tigers of the Canadian League.  

He was unanimously selected for induction into FAMU Sports Hall of Fame in 1979. In 1992, Curtis was named in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution Sports Department survey to the Black College Centennial Team. Curtis was also named to the Black College All Star Team by the late Tom Weir, a founding staffer for USA Today, alongside such gridiron luminaries as Walter Payton, Jerry Rice. Doug Williams, Larry Little, John Stallworth, and Rayfield Wright. In 1996, Curtis was selected for the Jacksonville Sports Hall of Fame. In October 2003, FAMU honored Curtis by retiring his football jersey, #53, marking the first such retirement of a former athlete's jersey in school history. Curtis was selected to the list of the 100 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century in the Jacksonville Area by The Florida Times Union, year unknown, and received an honorable mention in 2024. In 2004, the Florida Senate honored Curtis with a resolution documenting his life as a FAMUAN.

Throughout his adult life, Curtis mentored and coached boys and young men. He had a knack for seeing potential and he encouraged people to move toward greatness. It was nothing for him to tell people, “You don’t belong in this place. You can do better. Go to school." Countless people matriculated degrees at FAMU due to Curtis’ influence. 

Curtis was a lifetime member of the J. R. E. Lee Chapter of the Florida A & M Alumni Association where he received the 1995 “Distinguished Alumni Award.” After his initiation in 1987, Curtis became a lifetime member of the Jacksonville Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. The Jacksonville Alumni Chapter honored Curtis with the Polemarch's Millennium Award for dedication, service, and commitment to this fraternity in 2000. In addition, the Jacksonville Alumni Chapter honored Curtis with a Heritage Award in 2010. 

Curtis was a member of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1408 where he was honored as Supervisor of the Year in 1995. Curtis retired from Maersk/SeaLand in 2000.

Curtis started his faith walk at the First Baptist Church of Oakland with the Late Reverend J. C. Sams followed by the Late Reverend Charles B. Dailey. Later in life he joined The Greater Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church with The Doctor Landon L. Williams, Sr. where he served on the Men’s Usher Board. 

Curtis Miranda beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, and cousin, went home to be with the Lord on January 13, 2026. Curtis was preceded in death by his daughter: Carla Miranda Jones, parents: Henry and Ethel Brooks Miranda; brother: Henry Miranda (Jerelene); niece: Ethel Miranda; son-in-law: Archie Shaw. Curtis was married to his beloved, faithful, and care-giving wife, Elizabeth Miranda, for sixty-seven years. Our Lord blessed them with daughters: Mascelia Miranda, Joyce Miranda (Michael Ealey); son-in-law: Jerome Jones, M. D. (Melissa Jones, M. D.); grandchildren: Aleicia Donald, M.D., Alexander Shaw, Miranda Shaw, DVM; great grandchildren: Ava Donald and Anna Donald; nieces and nephews: Felicia Miranda, Keith Miranda (Amberia), Paula Mays (Michael), Voncretian May, Tonola Hartley, Erika Howard, Charlie Howard; cousins: Gwendolyn Hunter, John Scott (Paula), Ronald Hall (Annette), Kenny Lopez; best friends: Tommy “Room” Chandler (Gracie), Deloris Wheeler; a host of other nieces, nephews, cousins and devoted and sorrowing friends. 

Celebration of Life service for Curtis W. Miranda will be 11:00AM Friday, January 23, 2026, at Greater Macedonai Baptist Church of Northside.  Visitation Thursday from 5 – 7:00 PM at The Church.  Because of the love of his family, arrangements entrusted to J. E. Fralin & Sons Funeral & Cremation Services, 5065 Soutel Drive, 904-924-9400

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