Tidye Pickett
Tidye Pickett-Phillips[1] (November 3, 1914 – November 17, 1986) was an American track and field athlete. She represented the United States in the 80-meter hurdles at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, becoming the first African-American woman to compete in the Olympic Games.
Biography
Tidye Pickett was born in Chicago, Illinois on November 3, 1914, and grew up in Englewood, a Chicago neighborhood.[2][3]: 43 She took up running as a schoolgirl; after competing in some local meets she caught the attention of long jumper John Brooks, who began to coach her.[3]: 43, 44 At the 1932 United States Olympic Trials Pickett competed in the 100-meter dash, winning her heat and placing third in her semi-final; she qualified for the final, where she placed sixth.[4]: 77 [5]: 183–184 Pickett was named to the American Olympic team as part of the eight-woman 4 × 100 meter relay pool; she and Louise Stokes, who was also part of the relay pool, were the first African-American women to be selected for the Olympic Games,[6] but both of them were left out of the final four-woman relay lineup that ran at the Olympics.[7][8] Pickett and Stokes suffered racial discrimination during their Olympic trip;[6] whether racism also played a role in their omission from the Olympic relay is disputed and unclear.[7][8]
Pickett continued her running career; in 1934 she ran the opening leg on a Chicago Park District team that set an unofficial world record of 48.6 in the 4 × 110 yard relay.[2][9]: 294 At the 1936 United States Olympic Trials she competed in the 80-meter hurdles, placing second and qualifying for the Olympics in Berlin.[4]: 86 At the Olympics, Pickett survived the heats but went out in the semi-finals, falling at the second hurdle and injuring herself;[5]: 227 [4]: 86 she was the first African-American woman, as well as the first Illinois State University athlete, to compete in the Olympic Games.[4]: 86 [10]
Pickett later became a schoolteacher, serving as principal at an elementary school in East Chicago Heights until her retirement in 1980; when she retired, the school was renamed after her.[6] She died in Chicago Heights, Illinois on November 17, 1986.[2]
References
- ^ Some sources indicate that "Tidye" was Pickett's official name, or spell her middle name as "Anne"; Sports Reference gives the name as Theodora Ann "Tidye" Pickett, followed here.
- ^ a b c "Tidye Pickett Bio, Stats and Results". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
- ^ a b Stout, Glenn. Yes, She Can!: Women's Sports Pioneers. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780547574097.
- ^ a b c d Hymans, Richard (2008). "The History of the United States Olympic Trials – Track & Field" (PDF). USA Track & Field. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 20, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Tricard, Louise Mead. American Women's Track and Field: A History, 1895 Through 1980, Volume 1. McFarland. ISBN 9780786402199. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ^ a b c Heise, Kenan (November 23, 1986). "Tidye Ann Phillips, Olympian And Principal". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 25, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Book Reviews" (PDF). Journal of Olympic History. p. 46. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
- ^ a b Wilson, Wayne. "Book Reviews" (PDF). Olympika: The International Journal of Olympic Studies. p. 138.
- ^ Hymans, Richard; Matrahazi, Imre. "IAAF World Records Progression" (pdf) (2015 ed.). International Association of Athletics Federations. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
- ^ "Tidye Ann Pickett-Phillips Bio". Illinois State University Official Athletic Site. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
