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Andrew Foster creates first successful Negro League
On February 13th, 1920, Andrew Foster, owner of the Negro team the Chicago American Giants, was able to get incorporation papers and a league agreement to form the Negro National League. Foster was motivated to legitimize Negro baseball by having a league structure, a stronger financial footing, and improve the status of Negro athletes. As an owner, Foster also tried to take Negro teams away from white owners and keep the profits of the Negro League for the African-Americans entrepreneurs. -
Abe Saperstein forms the Harlem Globetrotters
Picture: Team photo of the first Globetrotters team in uniform
Originally called the Savoy Five (and from Chicago), Saperstein changed the name to the Harlem Globetrotters as a reference to the African-American cultural capital of the U.S. and to present the team as one that traveled a lot. The Globetrotters were a positive influence as the most famous Negro barnstorming team in American history (of any sport). The team has been comprised of almost all African-American players for its 87 years. -
Jesse Owens wins 4 gold medals at Berlin Olympics
In Berlin during the summer of 1936, Jesse Owens made his place in history as a cultural and national icon for the U.S. Not only was he the most dominant athlete during the games, breaking nine Olympic records and winning 4 gold medals, he was the American poster child against Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler. Owens was an American diplomatic hero for essentially disproving Hitler’s theory of the Aryan race as dominant by beating all German athletes at the Olympics. -
Joe Louis wins heavyweight-boxing championship against James Braddock
Joe Louis became the World Heavyweight Champion. He defeated James Braddock but in the beginning stages of the fight it did not look good for Louis. He was knocked down in the first round. After that moment, Louis dominated the rest of the fight. He won by knockout in the eighth round. This was one of the biggest moments in sports for the African American community. Many of his fans took to the streets to celebrate this victory. -
Arthur Ashe wins U.S. Championship
Arthur Ashe was the first African-American male to accomplish many feats in the world of sports. He was the first to win the U.S. championship, first to play at Wimbledon, and the first to play for the U.S. Davis Cup team. Aside from sportd he raised millions of dollars for inner-city tennis centers and the United Negro College Fund and started the African- American Athletic Association. Ashe used his presence on the tennis court to make a significant positive impact off of the court. -
Jackie Robinson breaks MLB color barrier
In his first season as a pro in 1947, he won the National League Rookie of the Year award, and also went on to win a World Series with the Dodgers before his pro career was over. He also wanted other black players to be just as successful. He stated that, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives”. He meant that if his integration of African-Americans didn’t cause a permanent and bigger integration of pro baseball, then his joining of the MLB didn’t mean anything. -
Willie Thrower becomes first African American NFL quarterback
Thrower only played a few games after that before getting cut by the Bears. Even though his career was short lived, his legacy was not. He paved the way for other black quarterbacks in the NFL including Doug Williams who was the first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl, and other greats like Daunte Culpepper and Donovan McNabb. Many football analysts say that he was the “Jackie Robinson of football.” -
Althea Gibson becomes first African American woman to win Wimbledon
Althea Gibson won the singles title at Wimbledon and becomes the first African American to accomplish this feat. This was a very big deal due to the fact that Wimbledon was seen as an all-white tennis club before Gibson’s victory. She won 11 major titles and is also compared to Jackie Robinson because of the color barriers that she broke through. The Williams sisters often credit their success to Gibson because without her they would not have the same success that they do today. -
Curtis Charler (Curt) Flood refuses trade
At the end of the 1969 MLB season, the Cardinals attempted to trade Flood. However, Flood refused to be traded. At the time players were bound to a team for life under the reserve clause. Flood sued the MLB over the reserve clause and after much debate and lack of player support, he won the case. Curt Flood was told that if he won the case he wouldnt get anything out of it and would never get a job in baseball again, but other players would benefit and thats all he wanted. -
Satchel Piage inducted into baseball hall of fame
Due to the segregation, Paige was limited to playing in the negro leagues. After the color barrier in baseball was broken in 1947, Satchel Paige entered the MLB the next year. He endured harsh racial slurs, hate mail, and disrespect from other players. Remaining calm, Paige eventually became the first African American to pitch in the world series. His success and composure in tough situations provided a groundwork for up-coming African Americans in baseball and other sports. -
Hank Aaron surpasses Babe Ruth on all-time homerun list
When it looked like Aaron had a chance to pass Ruth’s record, he started receiving a heavy amount of death threats and hatred from white baseball fans. One threat specifically said, “Retire or Die!”. It was such a significant achievement at the time because people didn’t have the mindset that an African American could achieve such a high level of greatness in professional sports. After he broke the record, that belief was never even considered again. -
Tiger Woods wins the masters
Augusta National, where the Masters is played, didn’t allow African American members until 1990. He broke the record and still holds the record for the lowest score in Masters history (18 under par). Only 3 other men of color have won the Masters. It’s so significant because the Masters is golf’s most famous tournament and no African American before had ever been able to fully breakthrough on that stage until Tiger Woods. Since then, he has won the Masters 3 other times.
