Firsts in Any Sport
1st black athlete to win a medal at any Winter Olympic
Debi Thomas
1st Black player inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame
Satchell Paige
Known as #8 and #24 for the Los Angeles Lakers
Kobe Bryant
1st Black coach to take team to the Superbowl
Lovie Smith
The first African American in history to win the individual all-around event in gymnastics
Gabby Douglas
First African American quarterback to win a Super bowl in 1988
Doug Williams (with the Washington Redskins now known as the Washington Commanders)
Black baseball player who broke Babe Ruth's home run record
Hank Aaron
1st Black person to play in the NBA
Earl Lloyd
Percentage of the NFL that are African American player
57.5%
The first Black woman to win a Grand Slam singles title in Tennis
Serena Williams
1st African American to referee a Super Bowl Game in 2008
Mike Carey
1st African American to play in the Major Leagues in the U.S.
Jackie Robinson
1st Black Person to sign a NBA contract
Nathaniel Clifton
Broke the color barrier as the first black player in the NFL on March 21, 1946
Kenny Washington
Despite Polio, 1st black woman to win three gold medals (in the 100- and 200-meter dash and 400-meter relay) at the 1960 Olympics in Rome.
Wilma Rudolph
1st African American president of the U.S. Olympic Committee
Dr. Leroy T. Walker
1st Full time African American field manager in Major League Baseball
Frank Robinson
Earned six championships, five MVP awards and 10 scoring titles, and once known as the highest paid player in two of his 15 NBA seasons.
Michael Jordan
1st Black quarterback in the NFL
Willie Thrower
First player to sign with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA),
Sheryl Swoopes
1st African American General Manager of an NFL Team
Ozzie Newsome
In what year did Commissioner Bud Selig retire Jackie Robinson's number
1997
Before Blacks were allowed to play in the NBA, what was the name of the "league" Black basketball players played in called
Black Fives
1st Black man elected to the Pro football Hall of Fame
Emlen Tunnell
In 1985, who was the first woman to join the famous Harlem Globetrotters basketball team
Lynette Woodard