Who was the first African American to earn a gold medal in the Olympics?

• A. Jesse Owens
• B. Jack Johnson
• C. John Baxter Taylor Jr.
• D. Althea Gibson

Answer: (C)

The first African American to earn a gold medal in the Olympics was John Baxter Taylor Jr. He won the gold medal as part of the American medley relay team during the 1908 Olympic Games held in London. Taylor, an accomplished athlete and a medical doctor, made history not only for his achievements in sports but also as a pioneer for African Americans in the Olympics. His victory paved the way for future generations of Black athletes in various sporting disciplines at the Olympic level.

Jesse Owens, who is often celebrated for his performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, won four gold medals, but he was not the first African American to achieve this feat. Jack Johnson is known for being the first African American heavyweight boxing champion and did not compete in the Olympics. Althea Gibson was a trailblazer in tennis and golf and became the first African American to win a Grand Slam title, but she earned her first Olympic medals in the 1948 London Games, which were years after Taylor's initial achievement.