The Fastest Woman in the World and Her Family
When Ray and I go to Clarksville, Tennessee, to see my brother and niece, we often drive down Wilma Rudolph Boulevard. I like being reminded of the remarkable life of Wilma Rudolph. Ray recently did a podcast about Rudolph and our son John featured her on This Is the Day to Pray on June 23, which was the day she was born.
Ray and I have a picture book about her life in our collection of books about Tennessee. I highly recommend Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman, written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by David Diaz. We both enjoyed watching the video about her that John shared on This is the Day to Pray.
Wilma Rudolph was born prematurely on June 23, 1940, in the St. Bethlehem neighborhood of Clarksville. Her remarkable mother Blanche was the second wife of Ed Rudolph who already had 11 children when he married Blanche. Ed became the father of 11 children with Blanche, bringing his total to 22.
As a child, Wilma suffered from double pneumonia, scarlet fever, and polio, leaving her sickly and unable to walk. Her family devoted themselves to helping her overcome her disabilities. Her siblings massaged her legs and helped her exercise. Her mother took her for weekly doctor visits to Meharry Medical College in Nashville, a trip that took 90 minutes round trip. By the time Wilma Rudolph was 11 years old, she could not only walk. She could run.
In 1956 Wilma won a bronze medal as a member of a U.S. Olympic relay team at the Games in Melbourne. She was only 16 years old. Four years later, she won three gold medals at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, thus becoming the first American woman to win three gold medals at the same Olympic Games. She broke two world records and became known as the Fastest Woman in the World.
The 1960 Games took place between August 25 and September 11. On October 4, the City of Clarksville celebrated Wilma Rudolph Day. Rudolph’s family donated this event program to the Smithsonian Museum. It is now in the collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Wilma Rudolph Day included a reception, a parade, a tour of Ft. Campbell Army Base, and a banquet. A handwritten note on the inside of the program tells that 1,200 people were present. Another handwritten note tells of a standing ovation.
In later years, Wilma Rudolph spoke about the strength, practical help, and encouragement her family had given her. She said that her father’s strength and love helped her as a young adult. She said that her father and mother taught her to respect her elders and specifically to have respect for adult decision making. She said that though both of her parents were working parents, they practiced nurture and discipline.
In her autobiography, Wilma Rudolph wrote:
“My doctor told me I would never walk again.
My mother told me I would.
I believed my mother.”
God gave you a remarkable role when He made you a mama. Your encouragement and sacrifice can do amazing things in the lives of your children.
But encourage one another day after day,
as long as it is still called “Today” . . .
Hebrews 13:3a