Wilma Glodean Rudolph was born on June 23, 1940 to Ed and Blanche Rudolph. She was born in St. Bethlehem, Tenn. She was from a large family of 20 brothers and sisters. When she was born early and only weighed 4.5 pounds. At that time she was not allowed to go to the hospital. It was for whites only. There was only one black doctor in town. She was not expected to live. She was a sick child that had many childhood diseases. She had measles, mumps, chicken pox, scarlet fever and pneumonia. Little Wilma was taken to the doctor when her left leg and foot became weak and deformed. She was told she had polio. Polio was a crippling illness without a cure. The doctor told her family she would not walk again. The Rudolph family would not give up on Wilma. Mrs. Rudolph found out that Wilma could be treated at Meharry Hospital. This was a black medical college in Nashville, Tenn. Mrs. Rudolph and Wilma took this 50 mile bus trip twice a week for 2 years. The family could no longer afford the cost of Wilma’s care. Her mother was taught how to do the exercises at h

By 12 she was able to walk with out the brace. She started to play her favorite sport. Wilma loved basketball. Most young people did not complete high school. Many people dropped out to help take care of their families. Wilma kept a B average in school to play basketball and to run track. The coach did not allow her to play in the basket ball games for several seasons. But, she kept working hard in practice. While running track she won most of her races with little effort. She was invited to attend a summer track program at Tennessee State University in 1956. By this time Wilma was 15 years old and 5feet 11 inches tall. This is where she learned the basics of running. That summer she met Jackie Robinson. This was the first hero she ever met. He encouraged her to continue running. She was asked to go to the Olympic track tryouts. She was the youngest member on the team. She made the team. She lost her 200-meter race, but her relay team won a bronze metal in the Olympics of 1956 in Melbourne, Australia. This changed Wilma’s life. She now began to love track like she loved basketball. In 1958 she began college at Tennessee State University. She became a member of the track team. She went to the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy. She became the first American woman to win 3 gold metals and set a new speed record in the 200-meter dash. When she returned home She was a hero.

ome. The whole family helped with her dai

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