African-American heroes of our past who sacrificed their lives and careers for the benefit of those to come. Athletes such as Jackie Robinson, Curt Flood, Rube Foster, Althea Gibson, Jack Johnson, Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper and Kenny Washington.
Black athletes once dominated the Kentucky Derby. The first Kentucky Derby took place in 1875 and won by Oliver Lewis. Lewis, a 19-year-old African-American native Kentuckian, rode Aristides, a chestnut colt trained by a former slave, to a record-setting victory for a three-year-old.