04/18/2026
Alice Coachman became the first black woman from any country to win an Olympic Gold Medal when she competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, UK. Born November 9, 1923, in Albany, Georgia, to Evelyn and Fred Coachman, Alice was the fifth of ten children. As an athletic child of the Jim Crow South, who was denied access to regular training facilities, Coachman trained by running on dirt roads and creating her own hurdles to practice jumping.
Even though Alice Coachman parents did not support her interest in athletics, she was encouraged by Cora Bailey, her fifth grade teacher at Monroe Street Elementary School, and her aunt, Carrie Spry, to develop her talents. After demonstrating her skills on the track at Madison High School, Tuskegee Institute offered sixteen-year-old Coachman a scholarship to attend its high school program. She competed on and against all-black teams throughout the segregated South.
In 1943, Coachman entered the Tuskegee Institute college division to study dressmaking. She played on the basketball team and ran track-and-field, where she won four national championships for events in sprinting and high jumping. Coachman completed a degree in dressmaking in 1946. In 1947, Coachman enrolled in Albany State College (now University) to continue her education. Coachman completed a B.S. degree in Home Economics with a minor in science at Albany State College in 1949 and became teacher and track-and-field instructor.
By the time she reached the London Olympics, Coachman had already overcome more barriers than most athletes ever face. Competing in the high jump, she cleared 1.68 meters, setting an Olympic record and becoming the first Black woman from any country to win an Olympic gold medal. It was a moment that challenged long standing ideas about race, gender, and who was allowed to succeed on the world stage.
Her victory came during a time when the United States was still deeply segregated. While she was celebrated internationally, the reality back home was different. Even after winning gold, she returned to a country where segregation still shaped daily life.
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