Wilma Rudolph would have turned 85 today. Born June 23, 1940, in Saint Bethlehem, Tennessee, she entered the world prematurely as the 20th of 22 siblings in a family with very little. As a child, Wilma battled pneumonia, scarlet fever, and polio, which left her with a twisted leg and the need to wear a brace until she was 12 years old.
Doctors told her she’d never walk again. But Wilma had other plans.
At 16, she competed in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and won bronze in the 4x100m relay. Just four years later, at the 1960 Rome Olympics, she became a legend—winning three gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. Her relay team set a world record, and she earned the title of “the fastest woman in the world.” She was the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympics, and her victories broke barriers for women and Black athletes around the world.
Wilma’s triumph was not just athletic—it was human. After her retirement, she became a teacher, coach, and advocate for civil rights. Though she passed away at only 54 from brain and throat cancer, her legacy runs stronger than ever: a woman who beat the odds, then broke the tape.
