Black History Month Alice Coachman was the first black American woman to win gold

Every day during Black History Month, SI is paying homage to unsung heroes in black sports history. As a child, Alice Coachman ran barefoot and used homemade

Every day during Black History Month, SI is paying homage to unsung heroes in black sports history. As a child, Alice Coachman ran barefoot and used homemade equiptment, but in 1948, she became the first black American woman to win an Olympic gold medal.