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Black Women’s Athletic Activism:

Past, Present, and Future

Join former and current Olympic, professional, and collegiate athletes as they discuss the history and future of Black women’s protest in sports.

Wednesday, October 21

6:30–8:00 p.m. EDT

Register below to attend this event.

Sport Protest Panel Registration
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Wyomia Tyus

Wyomia Tyus

Wyomia is a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and the first person to ever retain the Olympic title in the 100m. Wyomia competed in the 1964 and 1968 Olympic Games, where she also engaged in athletic protest. In 2018, she released her memoir, Tigerbelle: the Wyomia Tyus story, with co-author Elizabeth Terzakis.

Toni Smith-Thompson

Toni Smith-Thompson

Toni is currently a senior organizer with the New York Civil Liberties Union focusing on campaigns to undo systems of racial injustice in education. After sparking national debate in 2003 over her protest during the national anthem at college basketball games, Toni built a career in the non-profit sector, addressing social justice issues through direct service, organizing, and policy reform.

Gwen Berry

Gwen Berry

Gwen is a USA Track and Field athlete specializing in the Hammer Throw. The Ferguson native has been involved with social justice efforts for years, but she caught national attention when she raised her fist on the medal stand after winning gold at the 2019 Pan Am Games. Gwen continues to be an outspoken against racial injustice.

A.J. Andrews

A.J. Andrews

A.J. is a professional softball player with Athletes Unlimited, the former LSU stand-out became the first female to win a Rawlings Gold Glove in the award’s 59-year existence. A.J. is also the subject of the award-winning documentary, Knocking Down the Fences and a frequent host/media correspondent for The Player’s Tribune and The Undefeated.

Tina Charles

Tina Charles

Tina is a WNBA player with the Washington Mystics. After winning two national championships, Charles was the first overall pick in the 2010 WNBA draft. She was 2010 Rookie of the Year, 2012 League MVP, a 7x all-star, and two-time Olympic Gold medalist. As a veteran leader of the league, Tina has been at the forefront of the WNBA's activism for years.

Anna Cockrell

Anna Cockrell

Anna is a USA Track and Field athlete and member of the USC women’s track team. Cockrell was a gold and silver medalist at the 2019 Pan American Games. She recently started USC’s United Black Student Athlete Association (UBSAA).

Olivia Jack

Olivia Jack

Olivia is a member of the Penn State swim team. This summer she helped start the website Athletes for Equal Rights, which helps collect stories from athletes and workouts that shed light on social issues. She also helped start the Penn State Black Student Athlete organization.

Amira Rose Davis

Amira Rose Davis

Amira is an assistant professor of history and African American studies at Penn State where she specializes in twentieth century American history with an emphasis on race, gender, sports, and politics. She is also the co-host of the feminist sports podcast Burn it All Down.

For the second time, the College of the Liberal Arts has chosen a theme around which it has planned courses, lectures, presentations, and events. Continuing through the 2020–21 academic year, the college’s theme is Moments of Change: A Century of Women’s Activism, which was inspired by the centennial of the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment. To learn more about the theme, to see more upcoming events, to find educational resources, and more, visit womensactivism.psu.edu.

This event is sponsored by Penn State College of the Liberal Arts, the Department of History, the Eberly Family Special Collections Library, the Department of African American Studies, the Center for Black Digital Research, and the Humanities Institute.

Penn State encourages qualified persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please consult Kevin Conaway at 814-865-8696 or klc129@psu.edu, in advance of your participation or visit.