1. Wilma Rudolph: An Incredible Life By Mrs. Anderson
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2. A Turning Point:
Wilma planted her eyes on the alter at the end of the aisle. She looked down the long rows of pews, where all her friends and family sat singing and listening to the preacher. She looked down at her long legs, finally free of the annoying brace. Her knees and ankles ached. Still, she was determined, she put her right foot out. Spears of pain shot down her leg. She almost cried, but she forced her left foot forward as well. She would not give up. She did it again, and again, and again.

3. Whispers rippled throughout the gathering. Wilma Rudolph was walking
Whispers rippled throughout the gathering. Wilma Rudolph was walking! Row by row, heads turned towards her as she walked down the aisle. Her large family, all her family’s friends, everyone from school---each person stared wide-eyed. “You can do it Wilma!” she heard her older sister whisper. Her legs ached for her to stop. Just keep going, she told herself, concentrating as hard as she could.

4. The singing never stopped, it seemed to burst right through the walls of the church. She concentrated on the singing voices, and put one foot in front of the other. Finally, Wilma reached the front of the church and began singing too. Her smile was as wide as the ocean. The doctors told her she would never walk again, but she had finally done it!

5. Wilma Rudolph was a famous track star, born in Tennessee in 1940, who overcame poverty, discrimination, and even the disease of polio to go on to win three gold medals at the Olympic Games. This scene shows an important turning point moment in her life because it was the first time she walked on her own since she was four years old, since her leg was crippled from polio.
It is important because it shows how determined she was to walk, and even run again.

6. This moment helped to change Wilma’s life, because it helped to give her courage and confidence, and it meant that she could start to play the sports that she loved. It changed the world, because without learning to walk again, Wilma would never have gone on to become the first Black woman to win three Olympic Gold medals and to inspire other kids around the world to pursue their dreams.

7. A Huge Obstacle in Wilma’s Life
Discrimination:
A Huge Obstacle in Wilma’s Life

8. Discrimination was a big obstacle in Wilma’s life
Discrimination was a big obstacle in Wilma’s life. Discrimination made it more difficult for her to reach her dreams. Wilma faced discrimination in more than one way. She faced discrimination because of her race, because Blacks did not have the same rights as Whites in the South where Wilma lived. Also, she faced discrimination because of her disability, she wasn’t able to walk until she was twelve because her leg was twisted from polio.

9. Wilma faced discrimination because of her race
Wilma faced discrimination because of her race. For example, there was only one doctor in Clarksville where she lived who would treat Black patients. This made it hard for Wilma because she got sick very often and her mom had to treat her at home with home remedies. In addition, after she got polio and was unable to walk, the only hospital that would give her therapy to get better was 50 miles away in Nashville.

10. Wilma had to take a long bus ride twice a week to get there, and they had to sit in the back of the bus because they were Black. This was hard for Wilma and her family because it took a lot of time and it meant that her mom had to work extra hard when she got home to take care of her 22 children.

11. Wilma also faced discrimination because of her disability
Wilma also faced discrimination because of her disability. After she got polio at age four, her leg twisted in and she was too weak to walk. The doctor showed discrimination to her when he told her family that there was no way she would ever walk again. He didn’t bother to give them ideas of what could help her.

12. Also, Wilma faced discrimination from the kids at her school
Also, Wilma faced discrimination from the kids at her school. Her classmates made fun of the heavy metal brace that she wore on her leg. They wouldn’t let her try to play basketball, so she just sat and watched.

13. Important Influences: The People Who Inspired Wilma

14. Wilma’s most important influence was probably her big, loving family
Wilma’s most important influence was probably her big, loving family. Her mom, dad and 21 siblings helped her every day to get stronger and work towards her dreams. Her mom and dad showed her the importance of hard work and determination, and her siblings influenced her by helping her and by encouraging her even when times were hard.

15. Wilma’s mom influenced her by showing her the power of hard work
Wilma’s mom influenced her by showing her the power of hard work. For example, she had 22 kids to take care of so she had to work really hard to feed them, make their clothes, and help them study. In addition, she showed Wilma the power of hard work by making sure that she went to the hospital twice a week and did all of her exercises so that she could make her leg better, and it worked! Her dad showed her the power of hard work by working three jobs to support the family. He must have been really tired at the end of the day, but he kept on going.

16. Wilma’s brothers and sisters influenced her by helping her and encouraging her every day. When she couldn’t go to school because she couldn’t walk yet, they came home, helped her with her exercises and even taught her how to read. They always cheered her own as she worked hard to become stronger. Without them, she might have given up.

17. Wilma’s Biggest Accomplishment
Winning Olympic Gold:
Wilma’s Biggest Accomplishment

18. Wilma’s biggest accomplishments was winning three gold medals in a row at the Olympic Games in Rome. This was an important accomplishment because it is really hard to win three gold medals, but it was also really important because Wilma was the first Black woman to do it. Also, she was the first person who overcame polio to become a famous athlete.

19. Winning the gold medals was an important accomplishment for Wilma because she was the first black woman to ever do it. This is important because not many women were even competing in track and field in those days. People thought that running races was a man’s sport. Many people didn’t think that a woman could even be good at it.

20. Also, Wilma lived in the South where there was still segregation
Also, Wilma lived in the South where there was still segregation. Blacks did not have the same rights as Whites. For example, it was hard for her family to make a living. Sometimes her family could not afford the fancy sports equipment she needed. This is an important accomplishment because it inspired other women and African- Americans to set goals in sports and achieve their dreams.

21. Winning gold for Wilma was also a big success for her because from the time she was four until she was twelve she couldn’t walk on her own! The doctor told her family that she would never walk again, but her family helped her get stronger every day by taking her to the hospital for treatment, by helping her with her exercises and by encouraging her. By the time she was a teenager she could run, and became a star basketball star. This was an important success because it showed the world that people with disabilities could go on to do great things and gave hope to other children who had polio.

22. “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 a champion someday.”
-Wilma Rudolph

23. Wilma was always a very determined person.
She never gave up on trying, even when it hurt. For example, when she was a kid, her exercises were hard and hurt her legs. They didn’t work right away and she still couldn’t walk. However, she kept doing them even when it hurt and eventually she walked again without her brace.

24. Also, when she was in high school, her basketball team lost the big state championship game. She could have given up because she was disappointed, but she kept going, and she ended up getting a full athletic scholarship to Tennessee State University.

25. Finally, at the Olympic Games, she sprained her ankle right before her big races. It was swollen and painful, and she could have lost all hope, but she decided to try her best, and she ended up winning three gold medals that day.
Her determination helped her to reach her goals.