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Jack Johnson hits the boxing scene
Jack Johnson became the first African-American heavyweight boxing champion of the world from 1908-1915. Johnson's victory over the reigning world champion, Canadian Tommy Burns, in Sydney, Australia, came after stalking Burns around the world for two years and taunting him in the press for a match. Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis both have done soundtracks for documentaries about Johnson. He was said to be a heavy influence on boxing superstar Muhammad Ali. -
Fritz Pollard
Fritz Pollard became the first NFL African-American football coach when he took the job in 1921 to coach the Akron (Ohio) Pros. Pollard along with Bobby Marshall were the first two African American players in the NFL in 1920. In 2005, Pollard was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Pollard, along with all nine of the black players in the NFL at the time, were removed from the league at the end of the 1926 season, never to return again. -
Charles Cooper
The first African-American to be signed to an NBA team was Charles 'Chuck' Cooper who joined the New York Knickerbockers in April, 1950. Cooper was signed by Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach. According to his coach, Cooper “had to go through hell” as the first Black in the sport. Cooper later earned a Masters in Social Work degree from the University of Minnesota, served on Pittsburgh’s school board, and became the city’s first Black department head as director of parks and recreation. -
Althea Gibson wins Grand Slam title
Althea Gibson was the first African-American ever to win national tennis championships. This included the U.S. Open, French Open, Australian Doubles and Wimbledon. She is sometimes referred to as "the Jackie Robinson of tennis" for breaking the color barrier. Gibson became the first African American woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour, in 1964. In 1971, Gibson was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. -
Bill Russell
Considered to be one of the greatest players before Michael Jordan, Bill Russell led the Boston Celtics to 11 NBA championships. After playing, Russell became the first African-American to coach an NBA team when he took the helm of the Celtics in 1967. A five-time winner of the NBA Most Valuable Player Award and a 12 All-Star, Russell was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty. Russell is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.Russell is considered one of the best players ever -
Arthur Ashe
Arthur Ashe grew up in the segregated south with a keen interest in tennis. After turning pro in 1969, Ashe became the only African-American to have won the men's singles at the U.S. Open, Australian Open and Wimbledon. During his career, he won three Grand Slam titles, putting him among the best ever from the United States. In 1965, Ashe won the NCAA singles title and contributed to UCLA's winning the team NCAA tennis championship. In 1985, Ashe was inducted into the International Tennis HOF. -
Hank Aaron passes the Babe
Hank Aaron debuted in 1954 and played 23 years for Major League Baseball. He was selected to play in 24 All-Star games. He also surpassed Babe Ruth by belting a record-setting 755 home runs. He is one of only four players to have at least seventeen seasons with 150 or more hits. Aaron is considered to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time. -
Bo knows Best!
Jackson became a popular figure for his athleticism in multiple sports through the late 1980s and early 1990s. Bo Jackson made history when he was named an all-star for two American sports: the NFL's Los Angeles Raiders and the MLB's Kansas City Royals. Previous to that, he won the Heisman trophy in college in 1985. Jackson's name became known beyond just sports fans through the "Bo Knows" advertising campaign, a series of advertisements by Nike. -
Mike Grier graces the NHL with his presence.
San Jose Sharks Mike Grier was the first African-American born and trained in the United States to play in the National Hockey League. Born in Detroit and raised in Boston, Grier was a ninth-round draft pick of St. Louis in 1993. Primarily a checking forward, he played 1,060 NHL games over 14 NHL seasons. Grier played his 1000th NHL game on November 3, 2010, against the Boston Bruins, becoming the 254th player in NHL history to reach the milestone. Grier retired from the NHL in 2011. -
Shani Davis Wins Olympic Gold
At the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, Shani Davis became the first African-American to win the gold medal in speed skating. At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, he duplicated the feat, becoming the first man to successfully defend the 1,000 m title, and repeating as 1,500 m silver medalist. Davis is known for his consistency and technical proficiency. He has won six World Single Distance Championships titles. Davis has set a total of eight world records.
