African American Jockeys | Kentucky Studies

When spectator sports became all the rage in the late 1800s, horse racing was one of the most popular sports to watch. And African-Americans jockeys dominated the sport: 15 of the first 28 runnings of the Kentucky Derby were won by Black jockeys, including the first Derby in 1875, won by Oliver Lewis of Fayette County, Kentucky.

Young Black men had been working with horses all during the time of slavery. After they were freed, they continued to be in demand for their horsemanship. Paychecks for the most successful jockeys were spectacular and their fame was global.