The systematic erasure of Black jockeys from American sporting history

Sport & Games · Published 1 November 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the late 19th century, Black jockeys didn't just participate in horse racing; they dominated it. They won more than half of the first 25 Kentucky Derbies, yet their names were largely scrubbed from the mainstream narrative as Jim Crow laws dismantled their progress.

During the 1800s, horse racing was America's most popular sport, and African Americans were central to its infrastructure. Enslaved people cared for and trained horses in the American South, eventually transitioning into the saddle. By the 1820s, a large number of the country's best trainers and jockeys were Black. The earliest known jockey by name was "Monkey" Simon, who competed at a Tennessee track around 1806.

The era of dominance peaked in the late 19th century. Oliver Lewis won the inaugural Kentucky Derby in 1875, while Isaac Murphy achieved a record of three wins between 1884 and 1891—a mark that stood until 1945 (or 1948, depending on the source's specific tally). During the 1890s, Willie Simms achieved a unique feat as the sole Black rider to secure every American Triple Crown victory. These athletes were celebrities; Murphy’s home purchase even made front-page news in The New York Times.

The shift occurred as Jim Crow laws began to systematically destroy the gains Black people had made since emancipation. By the 1890s, these pioneering champions were pushed out of the sport. This exclusion was so complete that no Black jockeys competed in the Kentucky Derby from 1921 until Marlon St. Julien broke the streak in 2000. Their stories represent a narrative of athletic brilliance that was intentionally obscured by the racial barriers of the era.

Today, these figures are being rediscovered as foundational pillars of the sport. From trainers like Ansel Williamson and Edward Brown to Hall of Fame riders like Murphy and Simms, their contributions were essential to the development of American thoroughbred racing.

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