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WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD

  The first Black women to win an Olympic medal was Alice Coachman.  She won a gold medal in the high jump in the 1948 Olympics in London.  The other female medalist (bronze), Audry Patterson, 200 meter dash, Mildred McDaniel duplicated a gold medal in the high jump in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne and Willye White won a silver medal in the long jump. This was her initial Olympics and she made Olympic teams four more times for somewhat of a record.
  The Black females were superb in the 4 x 100 relay winning this event in 1952, 1960, 1064, 1968.
  The star or belle of the 1960 Olympics was Wilma Rudolph.  She won the 100 meters, 200 meters and anchored the 4 x 100 relay. Following Wilma to dominate the sprints was Wyomia Tyus.  She won the 100 meters in 1964 and 1968. A surprise winner in the 1968 Olympics was Medeline Manning when she established a new record in the 800 meters.
   The Black females represented 48% of the 1976 Olympic track team but only managed two silver medals in the 4 x 400 relay and Kathy McMillan in the long jump.

WORLD RECORDS

   The United States men track and field athletes at this time hold ten of the 21 existing world records of which eight were made by Black athletes. 
   The 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany were magnificently staged.  The Germans emerged with the highest point total.  Adolf Hitler, Aryan theories of racial superiority were shattered by the U.S. Black athletes, called the black auxiliaries.  Black Cornelius Johnson and Dave Albritton placed first and second in the high jump, Johnny Woodruff won the 800 meters and Archie Williams and James LuValle placed one and three in the 400 meters; Jesse Owens, Ralph Metcalfe and Mack Robinson dominated in the sprints and relays. Jesse Owens' accomplishment were a fantastic personal triumph. He won four gold medals - 100 and 200 meter sprints, the long jump and 4 x 100 relay.  In each of these events he broke or helped to break the Olympic records.
  The first gold medalist in an individual event was DeHart Hubbard who established an Olympic record in

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John Hunter Society honored Alice Coachman Davis and John Woodruff former Olympic greats.

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