Women's History Month: Wilma Rudolph

Public Domain

Rudolph wins the women's 100-meter dash at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.

Wilma Rudolph was the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympics (1960). A survivor of pneumonia, scarlet fever, and polio in her childhood, Rudolph overcame poverty and physical challenges to become the "fastest woman on earth."

The 1960s Olympics garnered worldwide television exposure that propelled Rudolph into the international spotlight. She became a role model for Black and female athletes and a civil rights and women's rights trailblazer. She earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education in 1963 and embarked on a teaching career while also serving from time to time as a goodwill ambassador for the U.S. State Department in Africa.

Find out more about Wilma Rudolph.