John Baxter Taylor, George Poage
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African-Americans made their marks at early Olympics
When it comes to inclusion of African-American athletes, the U.S. Olympic track and field team got nearly a half-century head start on other high-profile sports. In 1904, George Poage became the first African-American to represent the United States in the Olympic games. The event was held that year in St. Louis, in conjunction with the World’s Fair.