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Wilma Rudolph

Wilma Rudolph
Usage Conditions Apply
Artist
George Silk, 17 Nov 1916 - 23 Oct 2004
Sitter
Wilma Rudolph, 23 Jun 1940 - 12 Nov 1994
Date
1960
Type
Photograph
Medium
Gelatin silver print
Dimensions
Image: 23 x 17.9cm (9 1/16 x 7 1/16")
Sheet: 25.3 x 20.3cm (9 15/16 x 8")
Mat: 45.7 x 35.6cm (18 x 14")
Topic
Exterior\Sports arena
Human Figures\Crowd
Wilma Rudolph: Female
Wilma Rudolph: Sports and Recreation\Coach
Wilma Rudolph: Sports and Recreation\Athlete\Track & Field
Wilma Rudolph: Olympic medal
Portrait
Place
Italia\Lazio\Roma\Roma
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Copyright
© George Silk/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Object number
NPG.2004.150
Exhibition Label
Born St. Bethlehem, Tennessee
Defying the odds, Wilma Rudolph was the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympiad. Childhood illness left Rudolph with a partially paralyzed left leg. Her mother insisted that she would walk again, and through strenuous physical therapy Rudolph had regained total control of her leg by age twelve. In 1957, she won a track scholarship to attend Tennessee State University. During the 1960 Olympic games, Rudolph set world records for the 100-meter and 200-meter races, finishing in 11.0 seconds and 23.2 seconds, respectively. She anchored the women’s 400-meter relay team, in which she turned a two-yard deficit into a three-yard victory, clocking 44.5 seconds. When asked about her legacy as a world-class athlete who had overcome major setbacks, she remarked, “I just want to be remembered as a hard-working lady with certain beliefs.”
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Location
Currently not on view