Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Rudolph, a track and field athlete, made history in 1960 by becoming the first American woman to compete in a single Olympics and win three gold medals.
Tamyra Mensah-Stock
Tamyra Mensah-Stock succeeded in defeating her opponent during the women’s 68-kilogram freestyle wrestling final at the Tokyo Olympics, making her the first black female in the U.S. to win gold.
Usain Bolt
Jamaica-born Olympic champion Usain Bolt is considered the fastest man alive. He broke world records and won a series of gold medals at three Summer Games in 2008, 2012, and 2016.
Massy Arias
Massiel “Massy” Indhira Arias is an Afro-Dominican personal trainer and health coach who overcame severe depression through fitness training and now advocates for health and wellness.
Neymar Santos Jr.
Neymar Santos, Jr., known professionally as Neymar, is a Brazilian soccer player with several awards and championship titles to his name. He is considered one of the greatest players in the sport.
Maritza Correia McClendon
Maritza Correia McClendon won a silver medal during the 2004 Olympics, and she is the first black woman—being Afro-Puerto Rican—to earn a spot on a U.S. Olympic swim team.
The Black Fives
While baseball had the Negro Leagues, amateur and professional basketball had the Black Fives, consisting of all-black teams that played the sport well before the NBA was formed and integrated.
Isaac Burns Murphy
The winner of three Kentucky Derbies, Isaac Burns Murphy is a Hall of Fame jockey who is arguably the greatest rider in the history of American Thoroughbred horse racing.
Simone Biles
Simone Biles is the most decorated gymnast in U.S. history, having won more than two dozen Olympic and World Championship medals thus far.
Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter is a former Major League Baseball baseball player who was a shortstop for the New York Yankees and has since become a Hall of Famer.
Sir Lewis Hamilton
Sir Lewis Hamilton, who received knighthood in 2021, is a black Formula One race car driver with seven world championships to his name.