Our Greatest Hits, 2020-23

Recently, I was applying for an internship (it’s required for our grad program), and I sent over some work samples. I found many of my best pieces right here at The Black Sportswoman.

So for this last day of Black History Month – Happy Leap Day, btw! – I would like to share some of my favorite stories over the last few years. I’ll have new content next month. There's a lot of content in the works, but February was an intense grad school month.

Also, while looking at this work, it’s helping me think of some ideas for my final projects for Spring 2024 and for my program capstone. 

Below I share some works in progress that I paused – okay, forgot about – but because Black sportswomen are my focus throughout grad school, I’m able to figure out what I’d like to continue working on and what was fun for the moment. We’re also getting more organized, so that's exciting! 

Anyway, enough rambling. If you’d like to support this work going forward, Consider becoming a paid member of the Black Sportswoman.

You can also donate or buy us a ko-fi to support The Black Sportswoman and the stories of Black women athletes in sports history.

If you’re not in a position to support financially, consider sharing my content with your network or recommend me as a guest speaker to your school or organization.

Onto some greatest hits.

The Black history of Peru women's volleyball - Black women have been at the forefront of the past, present and future of Peru women's volleyball. 

This is probably my favorite story I’ve written, and it took months to complete. I hope to do more work like this in the future, and doing more work like this is why I’m in grad school.

Earlene Brown: An athlete to know - Earlene Brown is a three-time Olympian & the first U.S. woman to medal in shot put.

This is also one of my favorite projects, check out the video to see Earlene Brown in motion! Rewatching this made me tear up. You can see how much love and care that went into making this. 

‘A novel game of baseball’ took place in May 1883 - On the baseball game that took place between two Black women baseball clubs in May 1883.

This is the most random thing I’ve ever written/encountered – and of course it was the most fun. Let me know if you know of other 19th century Black women’s sporting events. I still haven’t dug deeper into this.

The Dominant Lusia Harris & The impact of Lusia Harris on Team USA - "You talk about somebody who was just ahead of their time. She's one of them for sure."

Of course I have to mention my first two articles. Lusia Harris is the reason I started The Black Sportswoman, and I’m so lucky to have been able to interview her to launch this publication.

Flo Hyman: An athlete to know - This mini profile talks about her athletic and advocacy pursuits.

There’s a lot more to Flo Hyman than the way she passed away. We should talk more about how she lived. I loved learning more about her beyond the common talking points.

Charlotte Gooden: An athlete to know - Charlotte Gooden is a decorated Panamanian sprinter and the first woman to represent Panama at the Olympics.

This was another one of my early attempts to blend history and sports journalism, etc., to understand Charlotte Gooden’s athletic experiences. I’d approach this story in a different way now, but at the time I received help by speaking with scholars like Javier Wallace!

Bessie Stockard & the first* No. 1 ranked Black women’s basketball team - ‘If she leaves, I don't know what will happen to women's sports.'

Bessie Stockard is just someone I find interesting – okay, okay, everyone I write about interests me – but everything I read about her made me want to learn and read even more.

Pearl Moore's playing days in Venezuela - Pearl Moore, women's college basketball's all-time leading scorer, on playing in Venezuela.

I wrote about Pearl Moore for FiveThirtyEight ahead of her Naismith Hall of Fame induction, but for leftover content, I shared a brief excerpt where she talked about playing professionally in Venezuela. 

More works in progress:

• A (working) timeline of modern Black women WCBB coaches - A working timeline of modern Black women college basketball coaches.
• The Athletic Club Era of Black Women's Basketball

That's all I have for my greatest hits. Any favorites? Any content you want to see more of? Let me know by replying to this email.

Want to support The Black Sportswoman?

Consider becoming a paid member of the Black Sportswoman.

You can also donate or buy us a ko-fi to support The Black Sportswoman and the stories of Black women athletes in sports history.

If you’re not in a position to support financially, consider sharing my content with your network or recommend me as a guest speaker to your school or organization.