The Olympics bring together the best and brightest athletes from all over the world every four years. Originating in ancient Greece, there’s a lot of history, including the history of Black Olympians. There is a great long list of history made over the last century, even over the last decade. Here’s a look at the Black athletes who paved the way and continue to break barriers.
George Coleman Poage
George Coleman Poage overcame great racial adversity to be a part of the third-ever Olympic games in St. Louis in 1904, in which many of the events were segregated. Poage competed in the 220-yard and 440-yard hurdles and won a bronze medal in each, the first African-American to win a medal in the Olympic Games.
Jesse Owens
Black American sprinter and athlete Jesse (James Cleveland) Owens (1913–1980) won four gold medals for