[Getty Images, 1960]
"To me, my legacy is to the youth of America to let them know they can be anything they want to be."
- Wilma Rudolph
Mainly remembered as an international icon, Wilma Rudolph made a significant impact on society by breaking tremendous barriers she faced as an African-American woman, never stopping to push herself to be better. As the founder of the Wilma Rudolph Foundation, she was determined to help underprivileged athletes reach their dreams. As one of the first African-American athlete activists, she stood up for herself and others against discrimination, abolishing segregation laws and supporting gender equality.
[James L. Mitchell and Ebony Collection, 1984]
"She was a conqueror. She didn't fight. She won... She touched a lot of people. She reached a lot of people as a woman who had overcome extraordinary obstacles and yet was willing to be a team player in a sport which seems to be more individual. She still ran on the relays and still gave. She coached. She worked on behalf of children."
- Anita DeFrantz, a member of the International Olympic Committee
[AZ Quotes/Allyson Felix]
[The Olympians/Jackie Joyner-Kersee]