The Life of Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Rudolph is an american athlete.She is the first women to win three gold medals in an Olympics game,she has also written an autobiography called Wilma .Wilma Glodean Rudolph was born on June 23rd , 1940, in Bethlehem, TN. Her parents are Blanche and Ed Rudolph and she was the 20th of 22 children in her family, her mother worked 6 days a week as a maid in homes of rich and wealthy Americans. Her father worked as a railroad porter and did all the odd jobs. She got married to Robert Eldridge and Willliam Ward. Her children were Yolanda Eldridge, Djuanna Eldridge, Xurry Eldridge, Robert Eldridge jr. Wilma was a sickly child, weighing only a little over four pounds when born , and at the age of four she suffered an attack of double pneumonia. Also when she was young she was sick with scarlet fever and polio. One quote that she said when she got stricken by polio was " My doctor told me I would never walk again.My mother told me I would .I believed my mother."She wore a leg brace/orthopedic shoe until she was was 11 years old.She worked hard to get better and practiced everyday when it hurt .She went to the doctors office twice a week to help get her leg unparalyzed. When she went to school she she couldn't play basketball, so she just watched her classmates play. After Wilma took of her brace, she played basketball throughout high school which lead her team to Tennessee state championship. They lost at the game, but there was a college coach who admired her running. Wilma went to college with an athletics scholarship to go to Tennessee State University in 1958 till 1961. By age 16, Wilma was a track star, and she ran in the 1956 Olympics where she won a bronze medal in the 4 x 100 meter relay race. In 1960 she set a world record of 22.9 seconds for the 200 meter race. In the Olympics she won 100, 200, and 4 x 100 meter dash. Also, she ran a semi-final race in only 44.4 seconds. She was the first woman to win 3 gold medals at the Olympic games. During her career she set many world records. She was an amature athletic union 100 yard dash champion. People were very proud of her, she was in the U.S. National Track in Field Hall of Fame in 1974. In 1977 she publishes her autobiography called "Wilma". After retiring from competition she helped young people in sports and educational programs. She also became a teacher and a track in field coach. In 1981, she started a group to help younger athletes. One of her famous quotes are," Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be champion someday." She died on November 12, 1994 in Brentwood, TN. She died of brain cancer. She was buried with a Olympic flag draped over her casket. This is the life story of Wilma Rudolph.
I think a fitting tribute for Wilma is a school.It will be located in Clarksville,TN where she was born and lived at.I want it to be made of bricks to show how strong Wilma was .This school will be called "Wilma's school of Excellence" because I want the students to feel proud of themselves.Any kid can go to this school because it is a school for disabled kids and also regular kids.It will also have a basketball court and a track for kids to get exercise on.It will be many colors.It will be 100ft tall and long and 30ft wide.I thought that a school was a great tribute because when Wilma was little she couldn't go to school because she was disabled so now kids who are disabled can go to school when they are young.
Sources: Britanica
World Book
Biography in Context
Biography : Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull and Wilma Rudolph by Eric Braun
Pictures:
http://www.biography.com/people/wilma-rudolph-9466552
https://blackwomenwhoknowtheirworth.wordpress.com/2013/06/23/wilma-rudolph-a-life-of-triumph/
http://www.sikids.com/photos/31839/athletes-at-graduation/23
http://www.knowsouthernhistory.net/Biographies/Wilma_Rudolph/
http://www.runningmovies.com/w.htm
I think a fitting tribute for Wilma is a school.It will be located in Clarksville,TN where she was born and lived at.I want it to be made of bricks to show how strong Wilma was .This school will be called "Wilma's school of Excellence" because I want the students to feel proud of themselves.Any kid can go to this school because it is a school for disabled kids and also regular kids.It will also have a basketball court and a track for kids to get exercise on.It will be many colors.It will be 100ft tall and long and 30ft wide.I thought that a school was a great tribute because when Wilma was little she couldn't go to school because she was disabled so now kids who are disabled can go to school when they are young.
Sources: Britanica
World Book
Biography in Context
Biography : Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull and Wilma Rudolph by Eric Braun
Pictures:
http://www.biography.com/people/wilma-rudolph-9466552
https://blackwomenwhoknowtheirworth.wordpress.com/2013/06/23/wilma-rudolph-a-life-of-triumph/
http://www.sikids.com/photos/31839/athletes-at-graduation/23
http://www.knowsouthernhistory.net/Biographies/Wilma_Rudolph/
http://www.runningmovies.com/w.htm