Dealing with the dynamics of having a black mother and white father, as well as severe illness through out her entire career, Kim Gallagher rose to become of the greatest 800m runners in the sport. She was the first Black Woman to win to Olympic medals at 800m and is the last American woman to win an Olympic medal in the event.

Kim Gallagher

Starting High School in 1972, Kathy McMillan had never heard of the Olympic Games or even participated in organized sports. But 4 years later, at just 18 years-old, she would be standing on the podium receiving an Olympic Silver medal in the Long Jump. 

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Kathy McMillan: The 2nd Black Woman, and Still Youngest, to Win an Olympic Long Jump Medal

From becoming the first girl to compete on the track and field team at her high school, to becoming the first Black woman to win 4 Olympic Gold medals. Evelyn Ashford is without question one of the greatest athletes in the history of Track and Field.

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Evelyn Ashford: The First Black Woman to win 4 Olympic Gold Medals

Reggie McAfee: The First African American to Break 4 Minutes in the Mile

Before Usain Bolt, Gail Devers, Carl Lewis, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, there was Wyomia Tyus. Tyus set the blueprint by becoming the first person, man or woman, to defend their Olympic 100m Gold Medal.

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Wyomia Tyus: The First Back-to-Back Olympic 100m Gold Medal Winner

At the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, German, Americans Vincent Matthews and Wayne Collette won Gold and Silver respectively in the 400m. During the award ceremony, while at the top of the podium, Matthews and Collett chose to ignore the US National Anthem as it played and simply stand on the podium, fidgeting, looking around and not acknowledge the anthem.

As this was just 4 years after the famous 1968 Olympic protest of Tommie Smith and John Carlos, their protest drew similar criticism. Matthews and Collette were banned from the remainder of the 1972 Games as well as from participating in future Olympics as well.

Vincent Matthews, Wayne Collett and the Forgotten 1972 Olympic Protest

Originally recruited to play basketball at the University of Oregon, Otis Davis went on to have a legendary career in the sport, winning Olympic 400m Gold and becoming the first man to ever run under 45 seconds in the event.

Otis Davis: How a basketball scholarship turned into an Olympic 400m gold

After seeing Jesse Owens speak at her high school in New Orleans, Audrey Patterson made it her dream to one day compete at the Olympics. A short 4 years later, she would become the first African American Woman to win an Olympic medal. Despite her accomplishment, he home city would show little recognition or appreciation for what she did.

Audrey Patterson: The First African American Woman to Win an Olympic Medal

Welcome to Track and Field Black History. My name is Anderson, and join me as we highlight the accomplishments and tell the stories of Black athletes from around the world and the impact that they’ve had in the sport track & field.

Track & Field Black History

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