On August 31, 1904, George Poage became the first Black American to compete and win a medal in the Olympic games, capturing bronze medals in the 200-yard and 400-yard hurdles in the Olympics in St. Louis.
A year earlier, the star athlete and student at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse became the first black Big Ten track competitor, winning the same events.
But after the games, he was largely forgotten, working in a high school and then as a postal clerk before being buried in an unmarked grave. A headstone now marks his grave, and the city of La Crosse has named a city park after him. In 2016, the city unveiled a sculpture to honor the athlete.
mississippitoday.org/2024/08/31/on-…
Also see our recent article, which mentions George Poage
HBCUs and the Olympics (historianspeaks.org)