BLACK AMERICAN LONG DISTANCE HISTORY TIMELINE PROJECT

One of the National Black Marathoners Association’s goals is to be a source of information about Black American distance runners. We hope that this information will inspire and encourage others to pursue distance running. I started distance running in the late-1960’s. Despite my knowledge of Black history, I wasn’t aware of any Black American distance runners to use as role models.

Much to my surprise, I found my role model by reading a Black comedian’s autobiography. In the book, he described the thrill of racing in collegiate cross country meets. And he wrote about the “mind” games, that he would play to psyc out his opponents during the races. The writer, political activist, and All-American cross country runner was from my hometown of St. Louis, MO. It was Dick Gregory.

In 2013, the NBMA started the Black American Distance Runner Hall of Fame to recognize their contributions and accomplishments. Later that year, Gary Corbitt was appointed to be the NBMA’s Historian. His objectives are to gather information about Black North American and Native American distance runners and share it with the public. The source of this information is www.TedCorbitt.com. In addition to information about Ted Corbitt, there's information about the New York Pioneer Club, Black female marathon history, and other milestones in running history.

This section will be periodically updated as information becomes available. When possible, we’ll provide links to other websites, which may provide additional information about the runner.

If you have information about other runners, including photos, please send it to Comments@BlackMarathoners.org.

Pedestrian Years (1879 – 1899)
1879	F. Williams	27-Hour Race	126 Miles
1879	G. Stevens	62-Hour Walk for Negroes	182 Miles
1879	S. Smith	62-Hour Walk for Negroes	181.5 Miles
1880	Frank Hart	Pedestrian – World Record Holder	Six-Day Race
1880	William Pegram	Pedestrian – O’Leary Belt – 6-Day Race	2nd Place
1880	Ed Williams	Pedestrian – O’Leary Belt – 6-Day Race	7th Place
1899	James Dean	Pedestrian – 6-Day Race	5th Place

1900 – 1918
1909	John Stookey (Stuckey)	Berwick Marathon	Finisher
1909	Howard Hale	Pittsburgh Marathon	1st Place
1909	Charles Burden	New Orleans Marathon	1st Place

1919 – 1935
1919	Aaron Morris	Boston Marathon	6th Place
1920	R. Earl Johnson	U.S. Olympian	10,000 Meters
1920	Clifford Mitchell	Berwick Marathon	11th Place
1921	R. Earl Johnson	U.S. Champion	Cross-Country
1924	R. Earl Johnson	U.S. Olympian	Cross-Country – 3rd Place
1924	R. Earl Johnson	U.S. Olympian	10,000 Meters – 8th Place
1928	Phillip Granville	Pyle Trans American Race	3rd Place
1928	Ed Gardiner	Pyle Trans American Race	8th Place $1K prize money
1928	Sam Robinson	Pyle Trans American Race	Finisher
1928	Tobie Joseph Cotton	Pyle Trans American Race	Finisher
1928	Gus Moore	U.S. Champion	Cross-Country
1929	Gus Moore	Berwick Marathon	1st Place
1935	Augustus “Gus” Johnson	Port Chester Marathon	3rd Place

1936 – 1957
1936	Joseph Yancey	New York Pioneer Club Formed	Co-Founder
1942	Frank Dixon	U.S. Champion	Cross-Country
1949	Bill Lucas	NCAA Cross-Country	3rd Place
1949	Lou White	Boston Marathon	3rd Place
1950	New York Pioneer Club	U.S. Marathon Championship Team	1st Place
1950	Lou White	U.S. Champion	Road – 15K
1952	Ted Corbitt	U.S. Olympian	Marathon
1954	Ted Corbitt	U.S. Champion	Marathon
1955	New York Pioneer Club	Boston Marathon	Team Championship
1955	Charles “Deacon” Jones	NCAA Cross-Country	Champion
1956	Charles “Deacon” Jones	U.S. Olympian	Steeplechase
1956	Joe Tyler	Boston Marathon	8th Place

Road Runners Club of American Early Years (1958 – 1971)
1960	Charles “Deacon” Jones	U.S. Olympian	Steeplechase
1962	San Jose State	First Integrated Team To Win	NCAA Cross-Country
1962	Jimmy Borden	United Athletic Association	Club Founder
1964	Oscar Moore	U.S Olympian	5,000 Meters
1968	Lou Scott	U.S. Olympian	5,000 Meters
1969	Jared Beads	American Record – Non Stop Running	121.25 Miles
1970	Moses Mayfield	Philadelphia Marathon	1st Place

Running Boom Early Years (1972 – 1979)
1973	Ted Corbitt	American Record	24 Hour Run
1973	Marilyn Bevans	Maryland Marathon	2nd Place
1974	Marilyn Bevans	Beltsville Marathon	2nd Place
1975	Arthur Hall	Penn Relays Marathon	1st Place
1977	Marilyn Bevans	Maryland Marathon	1st Place
1977	Marilyn Bevans	Beltsville Marathon	1st Place
1977	Marilyn Bevans	Boston Marathon	2nd Place
1977	Marilyn Bevans	Mayor Daley (Chicago) Marathon	2nd Place
1978	Marilyn Bevans	Maryland Marathon	2nd Place
1979	Herm Atkins	Nike/Oregon Track Club Marathon	5th Place 2:11:52
1979	Marilyn Bevans	Maryland Marathon	1st Place
1980	Marilyn Bevans	Mayor Daley (Chicago) Marathon	3rd Place

800-METER, 1500-METER, ONE-MILE, AND CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS
1932	Phil Edwards	Canadian Olympian	800 & 1500 Meters – 3rd Place
1935	James “Jimmy” Smith	Indiana University – 4 X 1-Mile Team	NCAA Record
1936	John Woodruff	U.S. Olympian	800 Meter – 1st Place
1936	Phil Edwards	Canadian Olympian	800 Meter – 3rd Place

1943	Rudy Simms	High School Record Holder	One Mile
1948	Mal Whitfield	U.S. Olympian	800 Meter – 1st Place

1950	Dr. Roscoe Lee Browne	U.S. Champion	Indoor – 1,000 Yard Run
1951	New York Pioneer Club	U.S. Indoor Team Championship
1951	Dr. Roscoe Lee Browne	U.S. Champion	Indoor – 1,000 Yard Run
1951	Larry Ellis	NCAA Track & Field	800 Meters – 3rd Place
1951	Dick Gregory	Track & Field All-American	Southern Illinois University
1952	Reggie Pearman	U.S. Olympian	800 Meters
1952	Mal Whitfield	U.S. Olympian	800 Meters -1st Place
1956	Arnie Sowell	U.S. Olympian	800 Meters -4th Place
1956	Ted Wheeler	U.S. Olympian	1500 Meters
1956	Ron Gregory	High School Record Holder	One Mile

1961	Rose Lovelace	880 Indoor World Record Holder	2:24.8
1964	Ben Tucker	1500 Meters – 4 Minute Mile Equivalent	3:40.8
1965	Harry McCalla	Track & Field All-American	Stanford
1968	Madeline Manning – Mims	U.S. Olympian	800 Meters – 1st Place
1968	Jarvis Scott	U.S. Olympian – 400M	800 Meter PR 2:04.5

1970	Cheryl Toussaint	New York PSAL High School 800-Meter Record	2:04.5
1971	Byron Dyce	Sub 4-Minute Mile	3:59.6
1973	Reggie McAfee	Sub 4-Minute Mile	3:59.3
1973	Tommy Fulton	Sub 4-Minute Mile	3:57.8
1974	Robin Campbell	U.S. Indoor Track Championship – 1500 Meters	1st Place
1974	Dennis Fikes	Sub 4-Minute Mile	3:55.0