>>>That reminds me that I was truly aggravated with NBC (and NPR) for referring to Shani Davis as "the first African-American man" to receive an individual Winter Olympic goal. It's my understanding that he was the first black man, American or not.
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>>Hi Tamar. I've been googling for Olympic firsts for black athletes, but the best I can come up with is this list for African-Americans
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>>Olympic medalist (Summer games): George Poage, 1904, won two bronze medals in the 200 m hurdles and 400 m hurdles.
>>Olympic gold medalist (Summer games): John Baxter "Doc" Taylor, 1908, won a gold medal as part of the 4 x 400 m relay team.
>>Olympic gold medalist (Summer games; individual): DeHart Hubbard, 1924, for the long jump; the first woman was Alice Coachman, who won the high jump in 1948.
>>Olympic medalist (Winter games): Debi Thomas, 1988, won the bronze in figure skating.
>>Olympic gold medalist (Winter games): Vonetta Flowers, 2002, bobsled.
>>Olympic gold medalist (Winter games; individual): Shani Davis, 2006, 1,000 m speedskating.
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>>I can think of a few black-Canadian Winter Olympic Medalists (not firsts but just for interest)
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>>Jerome Ignla for gold for Hockey.
>>Lascelles Brown silver to two man bobsled.
>
>Seems that Jesse Owens belongs in your upper list!


What did Jesse Owens do first? He was a tremendous Olympic athlete, perhaps the greatest of all when you consider the Berlin backdrop, but I can't think of what he did that hadn't been done before.