Sports

Black Firsts in Sports

From Jackie Robinson's historic debut to Tiger Woods rewriting golf history, these athletes and coaches broke through barriers across every major sport.

9 firsts documented

Professional sports in the United States were segregated by policy, custom, or both for most of their histories. The color line in baseball lasted from the 1880s until Jackie Robinson's 1947 debut. The NFL was integrated briefly by Fritz Pollard in 1920, then closed to Black players again between 1933 and 1946. The PGA of America kept a "Caucasians-only" clause in its constitution until 1961, and Augusta National did not admit a Black member until 1990, seven years before Tiger Woods won the Masters by 12 strokes.

The athletes documented here did not just set records. They competed in sports built to exclude them, often under threats of violence, while knowing that a single mistake would be used to justify keeping the next Black athlete out. Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics while Adolf Hitler watched. Althea Gibson won Wimbledon in 1957 after a decade of tournaments refusing her entry. Willie O'Ree played in the NHL with a legally blind right eye that he hid from coaches so he would not lose his roster spot. Tony Dungy won Super Bowl XLI in 2007 against another Black head coach, Lovie Smith, the first time two Black head coaches faced each other in the championship.

All Sports Firsts

sports 1947 Who Was the First Black Person to Play Major League Baseball? Jackie Robinson Debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, shattering the color line that had divided professional baseball for six decades. sports 1947 Who Was the First Black Player in the American League? Larry Doby Debuted with the Cleveland Indians on July 5, 1947, eleven weeks after Robinson. Seven-time All-Star and the first Black player to win a World Series. sports 1920 Who Was the First Black NFL Player? Fritz Pollard Played running back and became co-head coach of the Akron Pros before the NFL re-segregated in 1933. sports 1950 Who Was the First Black NBA Player? Earl Lloyd Beat Chuck Cooper and Nat Clifton to the court by one day, playing for the Washington Capitols. sports 1936 Who Was the First Black Olympic Gold Medalist? Jesse Owens Won four gold medals at the Berlin Games, directly challenging Nazi racial ideology in front of Adolf Hitler. sports 1997 Who Was the First Black Person to Win the Masters? Tiger Woods Won by 12 strokes at age 21, going on to win 15 major championships total. sports 1957 Who Was the First Black Wimbledon Champion? Althea Gibson Won the French Open in 1956 and Wimbledon in 1957 and 1958, also the first Black player to compete at Wimbledon. sports 1958 Who Was the First Black NHL Player? Willie O'Ree Debuted with the Boston Bruins while legally blind in one eye, later named NHL Diversity Ambassador. sports 2007 Who Was the First Black Head Coach to Win the Super Bowl? Tony Dungy Led the Indianapolis Colts to victory in Super Bowl XLI, the first Super Bowl to feature two Black head coaches.

Sports Integration Timeline

A chronological view of the athletes and coaches documented on this site, from the 1920 NFL debut to the 2007 Super Bowl.

1920

First Black NFL Player

Fritz Pollard

Played running back and became co-head coach of the Akron Pros before the NFL re-segregated in 1933.

1936

First Black Olympic Gold Medalist

Jesse Owens

Won four gold medals at the Berlin Games, directly challenging Nazi racial ideology in front of Adolf Hitler.

1947

First Black Person to Play Major League Baseball

Jackie Robinson

Debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, shattering the color line that had divided professional baseball for six decades.

1947

First Black Player in the American League

Larry Doby

Debuted with the Cleveland Indians on July 5, 1947, eleven weeks after Robinson. Seven-time All-Star and the first Black player to win a World Series.

1950

First Black NBA Player

Earl Lloyd

Beat Chuck Cooper and Nat Clifton to the court by one day, playing for the Washington Capitols.

1957

First Black Wimbledon Champion

Althea Gibson

Won the French Open in 1956 and Wimbledon in 1957 and 1958, also the first Black player to compete at Wimbledon.

1958

First Black NHL Player

Willie O'Ree

Debuted with the Boston Bruins while legally blind in one eye, later named NHL Diversity Ambassador.

1997

First Black Person to Win the Masters

Tiger Woods

Won by 12 strokes at age 21, going on to win 15 major championships total.

2007

First Black Head Coach to Win the Super Bowl

Tony Dungy

Led the Indianapolis Colts to victory in Super Bowl XLI, the first Super Bowl to feature two Black head coaches.

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Sports was one of the most visible arenas of integration, but it was not the only one. These athletes broke through while pioneers in other fields were doing the same work in less public ways.