Alice Coachman
Alice Coachman first won a national title in 1939; in 1940 and 1944 The Olympics were canceled because of World War II. Coachman finally won gold in the high jump at the London 1948 Olympic Games.
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic history is rich with the achievements of Black athletes who have built a lasting legacy for Team USA. From Olympians like Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph, Tommie Smith, and John Carlos to Paralympians like Bonnie St. John, Breanna Clark, and Brian Bell. Their journeys and contributions continue to inspire the world.
Learn more about their incredible stories during Black History Month at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum.
Black athletes have faced immense sacrifices and difficult choices, consistently pushing boundaries, exceeding expectations, and inspiring the world with determination and perseverance.
From Jesse Owens rejecting Nazi beliefs at the Berlin 1936 Olympics to Bonnie St. John becoming the first Black American woman to medal at the 1984 Winter Paralympic Games, these moments stand as powerful testaments to courage and resilience.
Today, athletes like Gabby Douglas and Allyson Felix redefine excellence while advocating for equality, shaping the future of Team USA, and inspiring the next generation.
This Black History Month, honor the extraordinary legacy of Black athletes who brought success to Team USA and transformed Olympic and Paralympic history. The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum invites you to experience their powerful stories through interactive exhibits, historic artifacts, and immersive displays that bring their courage and excellence to life.
Alice Coachman first won a national title in 1939; in 1940 and 1944 The Olympics were canceled because of World War II. Coachman finally won gold in the high jump at the London 1948 Olympic Games.
Across five Olympic Games—from Athens 2004 to Tokyo 2020—Allyson Felix won 11 Olympic medals, including seven gold, the most ever by a female track and field athlete.
Anita DeFrantz made history at Montreal 1976 as a member of the first U.S. women’s rowing team, helping Team USA capture the bronze medal.
NFL Hall of Famer “Bullet” Bob Hayes won two gold medals at the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games. and is the only person ever to win an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring.
One of the world’s greatest athletes ever, Carl Lewis won nine Olympic gold medals, including four consecutive gold medals in the long jump.
Ed Temple built Tennessee State University women’s track and field into a powerhouse. Forty of his athletes competed in the Olympics. He coached the 1960 and 1964 U.S. Olympic Women’s Track Teams.
Edwin Moses won 122 consecutive races in the 400-meter hurdles, including two Olympic gold medals.
Evelyn Ashford won four gold medals and one silver medal while competing in four Olympic Games.
Flo Hyman helped lead Team USA to a silver medal at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 1984, the first Olympic medal ever won by the U.S. women’s volleyball team.
Florence Griffith Joyner was one of the most flamboyant runners of all time. Known for her long hair, long fingernails and bright track suits, FloJo won three Olympic gold medals and two silvers.
It was during his time at reform school that Floyd Patterson became interested in boxing. At 17 years old, he won an Olympic gold medal and went on to a prolific professional career.
Gabby Douglas made history at the London 2012 Olympics as the first Black woman to win the all-around gymnastics title and also the first American to win all-around and team golds during the same Games.
Diagnosed with Graves’ disease, sprinter Gail Devers nearly needed her feet amputated. But she recovered to win three gold medals and competed in five Olympic Games.
A high school dropout, George Foreman entered the Job Corps program, a decision that led him to a successful boxing career and a gold medal at the Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee won six Olympic medals (three gold) and was named the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated.
John Carlos and Tommie Smith’s protest for racial equality has echoed throughout the sports world since the Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games.
A founding member of the Olympic Project for Human Rights, Lee Evans (center) won gold medals in the 400-meter run and the 4×400-meter relay at the Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games.
LeRoy Walker was the first Black American to coach a U.S. Olympic Team, guiding the men’s track and field team to six gold medals in the Montreal 1976 Olympics.
A four-time Olympic gold medalist, Lisa Leslie owns 10 U.S. Olympic records, including most points in a game (35). Leslie was a three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player and two-time WNBA champion.
Mal Whitfield won gold in the 800-meter run and the 4x-400-meter relay at the London 1948 Olympic Games, becoming the first American active-duty service member to win an Olympic gold medal.
Michael Johnson was one of the world’s best sprinters of his time, capturing four Olympic gold medals over three Olympic Games and maintaining his speed even as he aged.
He won a gold medal at the Rome 1960 Olympic Games while known as Muhammad Ali, but perhaps his most iconic moment came when lighting the Olympic Flame at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
Rafer Johnson started on the UCLA basketball team and was drafted by the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams. He took silver in the decathlon at the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games and won gold at the Rome 1960 Olympic Games.
After having his left leg amputated following a devastating injury in practice, John Register became a Paralympic swimmer, sprinter and long jumper.
With a prosthetic left leg, April Holmes competed in four Paralympic Games, winning one gold medal and two bronze.
The first Black American archer to compete at the Paralympic Games, he was seeded 12th in the compound open tournament at Rio 2016 but captured the gold medal.
The first Black basketball player at Manhattan College, Kellogg famously exposed a point-shaving scandal. He later became a wheelchair basketball coach.
A trailblazer in her sport, Ashleigh Johnson helped Team USA win the gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Vonetta Flowers paired with Jill Bakken to win the gold medal in bobsledding at Salt Lake 2002 – the first Olympic Winter gold medal ever won by a Black athlete.
At the Innsbruck 1984 Paralympic Winter Games, Bonnie St. John became the first Black American to medal in the Olympic or Paralympic Winter Games.
Although not the prototypical sprinter, Eddie Tolan almost always finished where sprinters wanted to be: first.
A four-time Olympian and two-time gold medalist, Edwin Moses has always shared his knowledge and experience to help fellow athletes and the next generation of athletes.
George Poage, the standout runner from Wisconsin won two bronze medals at the St. Louis 1904 Games, becoming the first Black American to win an Olympic medal.
Fencing provided an opportunity to compete in sports and adhere to the tenets of her religion.
Once ostracized for having the courage to stand for his beliefs, half a century later track star John Carlos has embraced his role as a survivor.
Months after graduating from college with a degree in industrial engineering, Mosley became the first Black woman to win the gold in the 100 meters.
Simone Manuel won two gold medals and two silver medals at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Tommie Smith is most remembered for his protest atop the Medal Podium, but his world-record speed is not to be overlooked.