American Olympic athlete Rafer Johnson was born on August 18, 1935 in Hillsboro, Texas to parents Lewis Johnson and Alma Gibson Johnson. When he was around 9 years old, the family moved from Texas to Kingsburg, California. He attended Kingsburg high school and was part of the football, basketball, baseball, and track team as well … Read MoreRafer Johnson (1935- )
International rowing champion Angel Fournier Rodriguez was born in Guantanamo, Cuba on December 31, 1987. Rodriguez was raised playing the most popular Cuban sport, baseball, as well as basketball. At age 12 he was spotted by a coach who introduced him to the sport of rowing. Rodriguez began his international rowing … Read MoreAngel Fournier Rodriguez (1987- )
“Image Ownership: Public Domain” Allyson Michelle Felix is an American track and field sprinter who competes in 100-meter, 200-meter, and 400-meter races. Felix is the 2012 Olympic Champion, a three-time World champion (2005–09), and two-time Olympic silver medalist (2004–08) at 200 meters. At 400 meters, … Read MoreAllyson Michelle Felix (1985– )
Ambassador David Bolen Presenting His Credentials to East German Chancellor Eric Honeker, 1977 “Image Ownership: Public Domain” Outstanding college athlete and diplomat David Benjamin Bolen, the son of a postal worker, was born in the rural hamlet of Heflin, Louisiana on December 23, 1923. As … Read MoreDavid Benjamin Bolen (1923- )
Tommie Smith (middle) and John Carlos (right) Image Ownership: Public Domain Tommie Smith is best known as a world class sprinter and for protesting (along with John Carlos) U.S. racism and human oppression on the winner’s podium at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. … Read MoreTommie Smith (1944- )
Image Ownership: Public Domain Professional basketball superstar Kobe Bryant has played for the Los Angeles (California) Lakers since 1996 when he came to the team as an 18-year-old, the youngest player in National Basketball Association (NBA) history. Bryant is a long-time philanthropist, using his well-known … Read MoreKobe Bryant (1978- )
Top-ranked professional female tennis player Venus Williams was born June 17, 1980 in Lynnwood, California. She is the daughter of Richard Williams and Oracene Price. Both parents coached Venus and her younger sister, Serena, who is also a top-ranked professional tennis player. Venus Williams, the … Read MoreVenus Ebony Starr Williams (1980- )
Image Courtesy of Clay Moyle Ray Leonard was born on May 17, 1956 in Wilmington, North Carolina. At age 20 he captured a gold medal in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. Exceptionally fast with his fists and quick on his feet, the charismatic youngster turned … Read More“Sugar” Ray Leonard (1956 – )
Image Courtesy of Clay Moyle Floyd Patterson was born on January 4, 1935 in Waco, North Carolina. A year later the family moved to Brooklyn, New York. Soft spoken and extremely shy, Patterson fell behind in school and at age ten was still unable to … Read MoreFloyd Patterson (1935–2006)
Image Ownership: Public Domain Olympic athlete and scientist James Ellis Lu Valle was born in San Antonio, Texas on November 10, 1912 but grew up in Los Angeles where he made use of a library card even before entering elementary school. Academics was always uppermost … Read MoreJames E. Lu Valle (1912-1993)