FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National Black Marathoners Association Launches Ethnic Minority
Distance Runners Historical Timeline
NEW YORK -- One of the National Black Marathoners Association's (NBMA)
objectives is to become a repository for inspirational and educational
information about Black American, Black Canadian, Hispanic American, and
Native American middle and long distance runners and running clubs. This
repository was recently launched with the NBMA's Black Distance Runner Hall
of Fame and Achievement Awards Banquet. Theodore "Ted" Corbitt, Marilyn
Bevans, Frances Gilbert, Warren Elzy, Frederick F. Davis III, and Angela
Ivory were inducted.
Since the Hall of Fame induction, NBMA's historian and researcher, Gary
Corbitt, has been accumulating information about these ethnic minority
runners. We're pleased to announce the "History Timeline Project" will be
available at the NBMA website on May 16 at http://www.blackmarathoners.org/
runner-history-project/.
The initial timeline runs from the Pedestrian Years (1879 - 1899) with
runners, such as Frank Hart (1880 Pedestrian -World Record Holder for
six-day races) and Howard Hale (1909 Pittsburgh Marathon winner), through
the 1970's with runners, such as Marilyn Bevans (second place Boston
Marathon finisher), Joseph Yancey (New York Pioneer Running Club
Co-Founder), and Dr. Roscoe Lee Browne (actor and 1,000 yard indoor US
Champion). Additional profile information will be added as it becomes
available.
Gary Corbitt says, "Many credit Ted Corbitt as being the first great
African American distance runner. I wanted to initiate this project to set
the record straight. There were many black American champions dating back
to the 19th Century. It is my hope that this history timeline will inspire
a generation of scholars to research and publish these untold stories.
We're releasing this history on May 16 to commemorate the 60th Anniversary
of Ted Corbitt winning the U.S.A. National Marathon Championship."
Tony Reed, NBMA's Executive Director says, "Gary has a wealth of
information about American distance runners. He's well respected and known
throughout the running community. When I started running in St. Louis
during the 1970's, it was difficult to find Black American role models in
distance running. I found my role model by accident while reading about his
cross country exploits in his autobiography. It was our hometown comedian
and political activist, Dick Gregory. Very few people knew that he was an
All-American in cross country."
We're actively soliciting information, including news clippings, articles,
stories, and photos, about other runners to include in the repository.
About National Black Marathoners' Association: The National Black
Marathoners Association (NBMA) is the USA's largest, not-for-profit
organization that is dedicated to encouraging Black Americans and others to
pursue a healthy life-style through distance running and walking. It is
open to everyone, regardless of their athletic ability or previous marathon
experience.
The NBMA hosts an annual, multi-race summit. Previous races (and locations)
have been Lewis & Clark (St. Charles, MO), New Jersey (Long Branch, NJ),
Cleveland (OH), Lost Dutchman (Apache Junction, AZ), Cowtown (Ft. Worth,
TX), Georgia (Atlanta), Bermuda International Race Weekend,
Deadwood-Michelson (Deadwood, SD), Madison (WI), and the Richmond (VA)
Marathon.
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