Luci Collins was definitely the best. It was apparent early on that she had an amazing career in gymnastics ahead of her. As she grew in the sport, she dominated her white peers.
So it was no surprise that, after the 1980 Olympic Trials, she made the Olympic Gymnastics team! But what happened AFTER she made the team WAS.
At the press conference following the Trials, reporters overlooked Collins. What? Her entire community was watching and rooting for her. She was a source of inspiration and pride! Why didn’t the reporters give her props?
They thought she was white! No Black girl had ever made an Olympic gymnastics team, and it never occurred to the white reporters that such an achievement was even possible. Even when Collins made it known she was Black, some STILL tried to dispute the fact. So what happened to Collins?
She continued to excel! Though the gymnastics team didn’t go to the 1980 Olympics due to international turmoil between the U.S. and Russia that year, Collins’ achievement opened countless doors for more Black women to compete in gymnastics and excel, like she did.
Collin’s experiences show exactly how stubborn discrimination can be – and we must realize challenges to our Blackness have nothing to do with our talents. We just have to keep being AMAZING!