Analysis: Alice coachman
Alice Coachman was no normal person, she had two factors that could possibly complicate how successful she would be; she was African American AND a woman. At this time, African Americans still had to go to separate school than the white people, they also had segregated sports, but the African Americans had very little funding to make their sports successful. Tuskegee, the college that Coachman attended, was a successful school for African Americans. African American women did not get to participate in a lot of sports until the first African American women's track team was formed in 1929 at the Tuskegee Institute (in fact this was the first women track team ever).Before she made it to college, she was forced to practice in fields and playgrounds for her high jump because of the segregation she wasn't permitted to use the public track. Coachman used whatever she could to become successful, she even jumped a couple races barefoot. African Americans weren't allowed into the Olympics until 1936. Alice Coachman helped to make many changes for the recognition of African American Women in sports. She got to meet the President of the United States, Harry S Truman, and Eleanor Roosevelt, but when she returned to her home town, the mayor didn't even shake her hand or congratulate her for winning the one and only gold medal for the women.
Coachman made the most out of her situation while she could, women today should admire how she worked so hard to be as successful as she is. Initially Coachman did not intend to change people's lives, she was just doing something that she loved, but eventually she realized that what she had accomplished was great and she could help others be just as successful. To help in the success of young athletes she formed the Alice Coachman Track and Field Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization that helps retired Olympians adjust to life after the Olympics. Coachman set the bar for so many other women to come, and paved the road to success. Even though Coachman had many struggles that she had to endure to get to where she is today, she has helped so many to be grateful for the opportunities they have. Also her story helps so many athletes to believe in themselves and believe that they can accomplish anything if they keep pushing themselves.
Alice Coachman isn't the most well-known athlete, but if people take the time to listen to her story, they can realize how amazing she really is. She paved the way of success, for not just African-American women, but women in general. Even though her accomplishments weren't ever really recognized due to the prejudice in the South, she deserves to be recognized as one of the GREATS in our history. I chose Alice Coachman because her story and success helps me to see that even with all of the struggles that get thrown at us in life, we have to keep working for what we love. Alice Coachman helped so many women to believe in themselves, and helped to make a change in how women's sports were viewed. Even though this change in sports was not recognized right away she still made a huge impact on so many lives.
Coachman made the most out of her situation while she could, women today should admire how she worked so hard to be as successful as she is. Initially Coachman did not intend to change people's lives, she was just doing something that she loved, but eventually she realized that what she had accomplished was great and she could help others be just as successful. To help in the success of young athletes she formed the Alice Coachman Track and Field Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization that helps retired Olympians adjust to life after the Olympics. Coachman set the bar for so many other women to come, and paved the road to success. Even though Coachman had many struggles that she had to endure to get to where she is today, she has helped so many to be grateful for the opportunities they have. Also her story helps so many athletes to believe in themselves and believe that they can accomplish anything if they keep pushing themselves.
Alice Coachman isn't the most well-known athlete, but if people take the time to listen to her story, they can realize how amazing she really is. She paved the way of success, for not just African-American women, but women in general. Even though her accomplishments weren't ever really recognized due to the prejudice in the South, she deserves to be recognized as one of the GREATS in our history. I chose Alice Coachman because her story and success helps me to see that even with all of the struggles that get thrown at us in life, we have to keep working for what we love. Alice Coachman helped so many women to believe in themselves, and helped to make a change in how women's sports were viewed. Even though this change in sports was not recognized right away she still made a huge impact on so many lives.