Object Details
Artist
George Silk, 17 Nov 1916 - 23 Oct 2004
Sitter
Wilma Rudolph, 23 Jun 1940 - 12 Nov 1994
Exhibition Label
Born St. Bethlehem, Tennessee
Wilma Rudolph was the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games. Childhood illness left her with a partially paralyzed left leg. Her mother insisted that she would walk again, and through strenuous physical therapy, Rudolph regained total control of her leg by age twelve. Defying the odds, in 1957, she won a track scholarship to attend Tennessee State University.
During the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Rudolph finished first place in the 100-meter and the 200-meter dashes, and the four-by-one-hundred relay. This image by Life magazine photographer George Silk captures her finish in the 100-meter dash. When Rudolph later refused to attend segregated events in her hometown of Clarksville, Tennessee, the parade and banquet held to honor her Olympic victories became the town’s first integrated functions.
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.”
Nacida en St. Bethlehem, Tennessee
Wilma Rudolph fue la primera mujer estadounidense que ganó tres medallas de oro en una misma Olimpiada. En su infancia sufrió parálisis parcial de la pierna izquierda. Gracias a la insistencia de su madre y a una ardua terapia física, Rudolph recuperó el control total de su pierna a los doce años. Contra todo pronóstico, en 1957 ganó una beca de pista y campo para la Universidad de Tennessee.
En los Juegos Olímpicos de 1960 en Roma, ganó el primer lugar en los 100 y 200 metros planos, y en el relevo de 4 x 100. Esta imagen de George Silk, fotógrafo de la revista Life, capta su llegada a la meta en los 100 metros. Cuando Rudolph regresó a su ciudad de Clarksville, Tennessee, rehusó asistir a eventos segregados. El desfile y el banquete en honor de sus victorias olímpicas se convirtieron en los primeros eventos integrados de la ciudad.
Sobre su legado como atleta de calibre mundial que logró vencer serios obstáculos, comentó: “Solo deseo que me recuerden como una mujer trabajadora con ciertas convicciones”.
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Date
1960
Object number
NPG.2004.150
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Copyright
© George Silk/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock
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")
Place
Italia\Lazio\Roma\Roma
See more items in
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Exhibition
American Winners: Athletes and Entertainers Who Shaped the Nation
On View
NPG, West Gallery 250
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Topic
Exterior\Sports arena
Human Figures\Crowd
Wilma Rudolph: Female
Wilma Rudolph: Sports\Coach
Wilma Rudolph: Sports\Athlete\Track & Field
Wilma Rudolph: Athletics awards\Olympic medal
Portrait
Link to Original Record
Record ID
npg_NPG.2004.150