Alice Coachman
She soared over the color barrier to become the first Black woman from any nation to win Olympic gold.
1923–2014 (age 91)·American high jumper·Birthday: November 9·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Born in Albany, Georgia, in 1923, Alice Coachman’s athletic journey began on the dirt roads and makeshift high-jump pits of the segregated South. Denied access to proper training facilities, she crafted her own regimen, leaping over ropes and sticks. Her raw talent propelled her to Tuskegee Institute and then to a dominant collegiate career, where she won ten consecutive national championships. The 1948 London Olympics became her defining stage. With a straight-on, one-footed takeoff, she cleared 5 feet 6 1/8 inches, a new Olympic record, and into history. Her victory, received from King George VI, was a seismic moment for Black women in sports, though she returned to a segregated victory parade. Later, she became a teacher and founded the Alice Coachman Track and Field Foundation, dedicating her life to supporting young athletes.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Alice was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alice Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Alice's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2014Died at 91
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Won the Olympic gold medal in the high jump at the 1948 London Games, setting a new Olympic record.
- Became the first Black woman from any country to win an Olympic gold medal.
- Won ten consecutive Amateur Athletic Union national high jump championships from 1939 to 1948.
- Was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1975 and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2004.
Did You Know?
She was offered a scholarship to Tuskegee Institute after a track official saw her running barefoot.
Coca-Cola signed her as a spokesperson in 1952, making her one of the first Black female athletes to land a major endorsement.
She was a standout multi-sport athlete, also winning national titles in the 50-meter and 100-meter dashes.
Her Olympic gold medal was presented to her by King George VI of England.
“I made a difference among the blacks, being one of the pioneers. When I go to schools and talk to young people, I tell them, 'You can be whatever you set your mind to.'”
