U.S. Olympic and Paralympic history is defined by the courage, excellence, and resilience of Black athletes who broke barriers and inspired generations. From Jesse Owens’ defiant triumph in 1936 to Simone Biles’ record-breaking achievements, these famous African American Olympians & Paralympians have shaped not only sports but American culture and the fight for equality.
Discover the legendary Black American athletes whose stories continue to inspire at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum.
By The Numbers: Black American Athletes at the Games
- First Black Olympic medalist: George Poage (1904)
- Most decorated Black Olympians: Allyson Felix & Carl Lewis (11 medals each)
- First Black woman gold medalist: Alice Coachman (1948)
- First Winter Olympic gold: Vonetta Flowers (2002)
- Most recent breakout star: Simone Biles (11 medals across 3 Olympics)
Alice Coachman (1948)
The first Black woman to win Olympic gold for the United States, claiming the high jump title at the 1948 London Games and opening doors for generations of Black female athletes.
Andre Shelby (2016)
The first Black U.S. Paralympic archer, Shelby brought home the gold medal at Rio 2016, inspiring more Black athletes to pursue Paralympic archery.
Anita DeFrantz (1976)
Anita DeFrantz made history at the Olympic Games Montreal 1976 as a member of the first U.S. women’s rowing team. DeFrantz helped Team USA capture the bronze medal, the first and still only Olympic rowing medal won by a Black woman.
Ashleigh Johnson (2016, 2020)
The first Black woman to make the U.S. Olympic Women’s Water Polo Team, Johnson helped lead Team USA to back-to-back gold medals at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
Benita Fitzgerald-Mosley (1984)
Mosley won the gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games, becoming the first Black woman to win gold in the 100m hurdle event.
Bob Hayes (1964)
NFL Hall of Famer “Bullet” Bob Hayes won two gold medals at the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games. and is the first and only person ever to win an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring.
Bonnie St. John (1984)
The first African American woman to win Paralympic medals in alpine skiing at the 1984 Winter Paralympics, earning a silver and two bronze medals despite having her right leg amputated at age five.
Eddie Tolan (1932)
The first Black athlete to win two Olympic gold medals, “The Midnight Express” dominated the sprints at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, winning both the 100m and 200m and establishing himself as the fastest man in the world.
Gabby Douglas (2012, 2016)
Douglas became the first Black gymnast to win the Olympic all-around title and the first American gymnast to win gold in both team and individual all-around competitions at the same Olympics (London 2012). She won three Olympic gold medals in total and became a cultural phenomenon.
George Poage (1904)
The first Black American to win an Olympic medal, Poage brought home bronze in the 400m hurdles at the 1904 St. Louis Olympics, competing at a time when segregation was the law of the land and Black athletes faced discrimination at every turn.
John Register (1996)
After losing his leg in a military accident during training, Register became the first two-sport Paralympian, competing in both track and field and sitting volleyball.
Junius Kellogg (1964)
Kellogg became the first Black coach of a wheelchair basketball team. He later coached the U.S. Wheelchair Basketball team to a gold medal at the Tokyo 1964 Paralympic Games.
Leroy Walker (1976)
The first Black American to serve as head coach of a U.S. Olympic team, breaking barriers in leadership and opening doors for coaches of color.
Mal Whitfield (1948)
Whitefield became the first active-duty service member to win an Olympic gold medal at the London 1948 Olympic Games.
Simone Manuel (2016, 2020)
Made history as the first Black female swimmer to win individual Olympic gold, claiming the 100m freestyle title at Rio 2016 with an Olympic record time.
Vonetta Flowers (2002)
The first Black American athlete to win Olympic Winter gold, Flowers claimed victory in bobsled at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, breaking barriers in winter sports and inspiring a new generation of Black athletes to compete in cold-weather disciplines.
Willie Davenport (1980)
Davenport qualified for the Lake Placid 1980 Olympic Winter Games, joining teammate Jeff Gadley as the first Black Americans in U.S. Olympic Winter Games history.
Wilma Rudolph (1960)
Overcame childhood polio, wearing leg braces until age nine, to become the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at a single Olympics. Rudolph was also known as “The Fastest Woman in the World”, and became an international icon and civil rights advocate.
Wyomia Tyus (1968)
Tyus became the first person – man or woman – to win back-to-back gold medals in the 100 at the Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games, breaking her own world record in the process.
From the first Black American to win an Olympic medal to the first black American woman to win multiple gold medals, these accolades highlight the resilience and contributions of famous Black Olympians from team USA. Their achievements represent not just athletic excellence but the triumph of the human spirit over adversity and discrimination.
FAQ: Black Olympic Athletes From Team USA
The most celebrated African American Olympians include:
- Jesse Owens – Four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
- Wilma Rudolph – Three gold medals at 1960 Olympics, overcame polio
- Simone Biles – Eleven Olympic medals, mental health advocate
- Allyson Felix – Eleven Olympic medals, maternal rights advocate
- Carl Lewis – Nine Olympic gold medals across four Games
- Muhammad Ali – 1960 gold medalist, global icon and activist
- Jackie Joyner-Kersee – Six Olympic medals, Greatest Female Athlete of 20th Century
- Florence Griffith-Joyner – Three golds in 1988, world records still stand
DeHart Hubbard was the first Black athlete to win an individual Olympic gold medal (long jump, 1924), while Alice Coachman was the first Black woman to win Olympic gold for the United States (high jump, 1948). George Poage was the first Black American to win Olympic medals of any kind, earning two bronze medals at St. Louis 1904 Olympic Games.
Alice Coachman was the first Black woman to win Olympic gold for the United States, claiming the high jump title at the 1948 London Games. Her achievement came at a time when Black women faced both racial and gender discrimination in sports.
Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics to protest racial inequality. Muhammad Ali refused to serve in the Vietnam War, sacrificing his boxing title for his principles. More recently, Allyson Felix challenged Nike’s maternity policies, and Simone Biles advocated for mental health awareness and survivor rights.
Achievements of Famous Black Olympic and Paralympic Athletes From Team USA
From the first Black American to win an Olympic medal for Team USA, to Leroy Walker, the first Black American to coach a U.S. Olympic team, these accolades highlight the resilience and contributions of famous U.S. Black Athletes.
Andre Shelby: The first Black U.S. Paralympic archer, winning gold at Rio 2016
John Register: Became the first two-sport Paralympian.
George Poage: The first Black American to win an Olympic medal,
Simone Manuel: The first Black female swimmer to win individual Olympic gold. She won four medals, including gold in the 4×100 medley relay and silver in the 50 freestyle and 4×100 freestyle relay.
Allyson Felix: The most decorated Black track and field athlete from Team USA, boasting a total of eleven Olympic medals.
Ashleigh Johnson: The first Black woman to make the U.S. Olympic Women’s Water Polo Team.
Wilma Rudolph: The first American woman to win 3 gold medals in a single Olympics at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games.
Bobsledder Vonetta Flowers: The first Black athlete to win Olympic Winter gold.
Simone Biles: One of the most decorated gymnasts of all time, has won eleven Olympic medals—four from the 2016 Rio Games, three from the 2020 Tokyo Games and four medals from the most recent Paris 2024 Games.
Eddie Tolan: The first Black athlete to win two Olympic gold medals.
The stories of these remarkable Black athletes are a testament to their enduring legacy, one that continues to shape Team USA and inspire the world. See more of Team USA’s athletes’ stories, images, testimonials, and more during Black History Month at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum.
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