Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Gertrude Ederle, First Woman to Swim the English Channel
This resource provides information about Gertrude Ederle.
Other
Usa Swimming: History: Swimming From the Beginning
This document provides a history of swimming. Content discussed includes the origins of the crawl, dog stroke, backstroke, and breaststroke, how the American Indians influenced the art of swimming, the first swimming competitions, the...
My Hero Project
My Hero: Wilma Rudolph
Track star Wilma Rudolph overcame several childhood illness to become, in 1960, the first American woman to win 3 Olympic gold medals. Use this resource to learn more about the awards and recognition this amazing athlete earned.
Library of Congress
Loc: Today in History: May 28: Jim Thorpe
This is a biographical sketch of American athlete Jim Thorpe. Thorpe was a versatile athlete who is regarded as "the greatest American athlete of the first half of the twentieth century".
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Emilie Le Pennec
Information about Emilie Le Pennec, the first French woman to win Olympic gold in gymnastics. The page also offers a chart of all the women who have won Olympic gold medals on the uneven bars.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Wilma Rudolph
Biographical story of the life of Wilma Rudolph, an American sprinter, the first American woman to win three track-and-field gold medals in a single Olympics.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Guide to Black History: Leon Spinks
This entry from Encyclopedia Brittanica's Guide to Black History features Leon Spinks, an American boxer who won an Olympic gold medal in 1976 and was the world heavyweight champion in 1978. He and Michael Spinks became the first...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Marion Jones
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Marion Jones, an American athlete, who, at the 2000 Olympic Games, became the first woman to win five track-and-field medals at a single Olympics. In 2007, however, she admitted to using...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Shani Davis
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Shani Davis, an American speed skater, who was the first black athlete to win an individual Winter Olympics gold medal.