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The first Black to win a gold in 200 meters was Eddie Tolan in 1932. He was followed in 1936 by Jesse Owens and in 1952 Andy Stanfield, Henry Carr in 1964 and Tommy Smith in 1968 who holds the existing world record of 19.89.

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Eddie Tolan—1932, in the 100-200 meter dashes

tion in the 110 meter hurdle event. Since Fritz Pollard, Jr. placed third in the 1938 Olympics Blacks have won six of the past eight Olympics. Harrison Dillard initiated this trend by winning the first in 1952 and Lee Calhoun won two back to back, 1956-1960, Olympic record time of 13.2.
The first Black to win a gold in 200 meters was Eddie Tolan in 1932. He was followed in 1936 by Jesse Owens and in 1952 Andy Stanfield, Henry Carr in 1964 and Tommy Smith in 1968 who holds the existing world record of 19.89.
After Archie Williams started the gold trend in the 400 meters with an Olympic record, this was not duplicated until Charlie Jenkins won in 1956 and then followed by Otis Davis in 1960. Lee Evans in 1968 and current holder of world and Olympic record of 43.8 and the last to accomplish this was in 1972 when Vince Matthews won.
There have only been three Black gold medalists in the 800 meters, John Woodruff in 1936 and Mal Whitfield won back to back championships in 1948, 1952 in Olympic record time.
Black Americans have always been weak in middle distances but we can go back to the 1924 Olympics when Earl Johnson won a bronze medal in the 10,000 meter cross country.
The high jump world record has been held by several Blacks but only two have managed to win a gold medal, Cornelius Johnson in 1936 and Charles Dumas in 1956.

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