Who was the first African American athlete?

George Poage became the first Black Olympian. The track and field specialist was also the first Black participant to win a medal, earning the bronze in the 440 hurdles. 

Who were the first black athletes?

George Poage became the first Black Olympian. The track and field specialist was also the first Black participant to win a medal, earning the bronze in the 440 hurdles.

Who was the first ever black pro sports athlete?

The shorthand phrase for this is “breaking the color barrier”. The world of sports generally is invoked in the frequently cited example of Jackie Robinson, who became the first African American of the modern era to become a Major League Baseball player in 1947, ending 60 years of segregated Negro leagues.

Who was the first African American to win a sports title?

1908: First Black Olympic Gold Medalist: John Taylor



Hailing from Washington D.C. and the son of two former slaves, Taylor captured the gold running the third leg of the medley relays, covering 400 meters. In the same year, he would complete his degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Pennsylvania.

Who is the most famous African American athlete?

5 Influential Black Athletes in Sports

  • Lia Neal. AGUA Swim Team alum and two-time Olympic medalist Lia Neal is a history-making, record-setting machine.
  • Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson was the first Black athlete in Major League Baseball, joining the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.
  • Michael Jordan.
  • Briana Scurry.
  • Flo Hyman.



Who was the first athlete in the world?

The inventor of athletics is unknown, but we do know that the first person to ever win an athletics event was Korobios. Koroibos was a Greek cook from the city of Elis who won the stadium race in 776 B.C., which was a foot race that was 600 feet long.

Who started Athletes First?

Brian Murphy

Brian Murphy – How To Negotiate Like The Best Sports Agent In The World (Founder/CEO of Athlete’s First) In 2001, Brian Murphy founded Athletes First with partner David Dunn and currently serves as the firm’s President.

Who was the first black person to win the Olympics?

1. John Baxter Taylor. U.S. Olympian John Baxter Taylor in a 1908 portrait. Taylor won gold at the 1908 London Olympic Games as a member of America’s 1600-meter (one mile) relay team.

Who was the first African American athlete to break the color barrier?



On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson, age 28, becomes the first African American player in Major League Baseball’s modern era when he steps onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn to compete for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson broke the color barrier in a sport that had been segregated for more than 50 years.

Who broke the NBA color barrier?

Earl Lloyd was the first to play in the NBA. Hank DeZonie also played that year. In 1953, Don Barksdale became the first African American to play in an NBA All-Star Game. With the emergence of African-American players by the 1960s, the NBA game was stylistically being played faster and above the rim.

Who was the first African American athlete to break the color barrier?

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson, age 28, becomes the first African American player in Major League Baseball’s modern era when he steps onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn to compete for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson broke the color barrier in a sport that had been segregated for more than 50 years.

Who was the first Black man to play soccer?

The first black man to play international football was Andrew Watson, who earned the first of his three caps for Scotland on 12 March 1881, when he captained them in a 6–1 win away to England at The Oval in London. Born in Demerara, British Guiana (now Guyana) to an Afro-Guyanese mother and Scottish father.

Who was the first Black international player?



Andrew Watson

Andrew Watson (24 May 1856 – 8 March 1921) was a Scottish footballer who is widely considered to be the first black person to play association football at international level. He played three matches for Scotland between 1881 and 1882.

Who was the first black man to play in the American League?

In 1947, only a few months after Jackie Robinson’s major league debut, Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck signed Doby, who became the first Black player in the American League. Doby suffered the same indignities as Jackie Robinson, but his struggles did not get the media attention Robinson’s received.