Dr. Nell Jackson was a trailblazer in many ways. That’s why she’s a member of numerous Halls of Fame.
Jackson, an Illinois State University faculty member from 1963-65, was the first Black person to be named head coach of either a men’s or women’s U.S. Olympic track team. She led the U.S. women’s track squad at the Games in both 1956 and 1972.
At the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, her team included the incomparable Wilma Rudolph, a bronze medalist in the 4x100 relay, who went on to win three golds at the next Olympics in 1960.