Olympians Against the Wind: The Black American Female Difference

In 1932, Tidye Pickett and Louise Stokes, two black American female athletes, were excluded from the U.S. Olympic team because of their race. In 1948, nine black female athletes participated in the Summer Games, with Audrey “Mickey” Patterson Tyler and Alice Coachman Davis winning a bronze and a gold respectively. Since then, 27 black female athletes, including track & field legends Wilma Rudolph, Evelyn Ashford, Florence Griffith Joyner, Jackie Joyner Kersee and Gall Devers, have won medals at the Olympics, bringing glory to their country and inspiring younger generations to greatness.A. D. Emerson, who was born with a physical disability, was taught a lot about commitment and determination by many of these women while participating in track & field, and became an accomplished athlete in her own right. Olympians against the Wind is a valuable reference as well as a source of inspiration for children dreaming of Olympic glory, and their parents. It is a moving tribute to the Olympic heroines who overcame great obstacles and paved the way for future success for women in sports.