Wilma Rudolph: A Life of Triumph

Today we celebrate the life of Wilma Rudolph. Rudolph was an African-American athlete. She is an Olympic Champion, once named the fastest woman in the world. Everyday is Black History.

Rudolph was born premature and sickly on June 23, 1940, in St. Bethlehem, Tennessee. Stricken with polio as a child, she had problems with her left leg and had to wear a brace. It was with great determination and the help of physical therapy that she was able to overcome the disease as well as her resulting physical disabilities.

Rudolph as a child.

Growing up in the South before segregation was outlawed, Rudolph attended an all-black school, Burt High School, where she played on the basketball team. A naturally gifted runner, she was soon recruited to train with Tennessee State University track coach Ed Temple.

While still in high school, Wilma Rudolph, nicknamed “Skeeter” for her famous speed, qualified for the 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia. The youngest member of the U.S. team at the age of 16, she won a bronze medal in the sprint relay event. After finishing high school, Rudolph enrolled at Tennessee State University, where she studied education. She also trained hard for the next Olympics.

In the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome Rudolph became the first African American woman to win three gold medals in track and field during a single Olympic Games.

Rudolph with her three Olympic medals.

A track and field champion, she elevated women’s track to a major presence in the United States. Rudolph became an international star due to the first international television coverage of the Olympics that year.

Rudolph crossing the finish line in 1960.

The powerful sprinter emerged from the 1960 Rome Olympics as “The Tornado,” the fastest woman on earth.The Italians nicknamed her La Gazzella Negra (“The Black Gazelle“); to the French she was La Perle Noire (“The Black Pearl”). She is one of the most famous Tennessee State University Tigerbelles, the name of the TSU women’s track and field program.

Rudolph signing autographs for fans.

Rudolph officially retired from track and field in 1962 at the age of 22. She went on to gain her degree in Elementary Education from Tennessee State University. She was a school teacher as well as a sports track teacher.

Rudolph in her cap and gown after receiving her education degree.

Her triumph gained her many awards and recognition. She was United Press Athlete of the Year 1960 and Associated Press Woman Athlete of the Year for 1960 and 1961. Also in 1961, the year of her father’s death, Rudolph won the James E. Sullivan Award, an award for the top amateur athlete in the United States, and visited President John F. Kennedy.

Rudolph at the White House with President John F. Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson.

She was voted into the National Black Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 1973 and the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1974. She was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983, honored with the National Sports Award in 1993, and inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1994. In 1994, the portion of U.S. Route 79 in Clarksville, Tennessee between the Interstate 24 exit 4 in Clarksville to the Red River (Lynnwood-Tarpley) bridge near the Kraft Street intersection was renamed to honor Wilma Rudolph.A life-size bronze statue of Rudolph stands at the southern end of the Cumberland River Walk at the base of the Pedestrian Overpass, College Street and Riverside Drive, in Clarksville.

On July 14, 2004, the United States Postal Service issued a 23-cent Distinguished Americans series postage stamp in recognition of her accomplishments.

Wilma Rudolph was an amazing woman. Lets honor and remember her life today. She used her talent and skill to attain the goals she sought. She worked hard and believed in her abilities. Family we must do the same. We must couple or talents with hard work and belief in ourselves. This is a winning combination. We can all become great if we use our god given skills, hard work and confidence to make greatness happen for us. So look in the face of failure and defeat and know that you, like Wilma Rudolph are not limited by sickness, problems or circumstance. You too, can reach heights of success, achievement and greatness. ~Know Your Worth~ -M. Millie

Wilma Rudolph with fellow Olympian Florence Griffith Joyner

Learn to lead, for you.

In life it is always best to be a leader and not a follower.

It always amazes me how women who are lonely, jaded and bitter will try to make you the same way. It always surprises me how these women will try to persuade you to make choices that could cause hardship in your relationship. This happened to me tonight.

I was at a staff dinner. We were having drinks, Great food and awkward conversation. My co worker asked me if we are going to go to a club afterwards. I ignored her, because she talks so much you do not know if to take her serious or not. Anyway, when I realized her question about attending a club after the dinner was serious, I responded no. She said ” oh just text your hubby and tell him you will be home late.” I looked at her laughed and continued to ignore her the rest of the night.

You see, I am a leader, not a follower. I lead my way towards my decisions and choices. I follow, not the path or trail of others.

I am not going to follow you to a club and just call my hubby like everything is alright. First of all, I like to give my man the courtesy of knowing what I am doing when I go out before I leave him that night. I do not like just dropping last-minute things on him like that. My relationship like any other has its parameters and my hubby and I work within them to ensure we respect each other.

Next, I am not taking relationship advice from YOU honey. Yes, for this woman’s  true intention is not to go out and hang out, but to cause a rift in my life. Your intention is to cause me problems.

Family, at the end of the day it is best to be a leader and follow your path not others. Yes, you can listen to people,but make your decisions based solely on what is beneficial for you. Make choices that will positively impact your life.

Lastly, do not allow others to make you change who you are. Do not allow people to influence who your next step.You navigate your life, NO ONE else does. Ensure, you stay true to who you are. Be a leader and follow your heart, mind soul and own path. ~Know Your Worth~ -M. Millie

FATHERS, WHERE ARE YOU?

I can not express the importance of having father figures in black family households. Now we black women for years have been being both mom and dad. Doing the best that we could to raise our daughters and sons when their fathers would not. However, it needs to STOP! Black men have to take responsibility for their children and help raise them. Fathers need to help teach their sons how to be men and their daughters that they can succeed in doing anything and how they should be treated by men.

Now, Black Women we have done well raising our children, but we need to allow their fathers to help raise them if they are willing too. I know far too many black men who are positive and hardworking, but are not being allowed by their children’s mothers to raise their children. Child support does not equal raising a child. We have to allow our children’s father to do more than that. Now sistahs I say this not to disrespect anyone, but to tell you that we have to let go of our issues with our ex’s and allow their fathers if they are willing and have good intentions to be fathers. Brothas, I ask you to step up and be fathers because our communities need it.

Too long, have black women solely raised black children. It is unfair and is not allowing our children to grow with full awareness of themselves and their backgrounds when they are raised without one parent. I was raised mostly, by my mom. My father was neglectful at times, but he did help raise me. I feel like I grew up with a sense of understanding about myself that I might not have gotten by only being raised by my mother. We were a family unit and despite my father’s absence and the dysfunction, my mom allowed him to raise me the best way he could.

Brothas it is time to wake up. Stop the abandonment of your children and raise them. Sistahs, it is also time to allow black men to be fathers. Thank you to all the Sistahs who have raised their black children by themselves and struggled to do so. Thank You to all the black men, who have been fathers and helped raise their children. We need to work together, black mothers and fathers to help raise a future generation of proud black little girls and boys. Lets raise our future leaders of tomorrow together.

Happy Fathers Day to all the real fathers. Black women lets not take this day away from black men. Let’s honor all of the black men who are fathers. Who do not just provide financial support, but positively impact the lives of our children. Thank you black fathers. Please continue to be the best fathers you can be. -M. Millie