Wilma Rudolph

This unit explores what Rudolph did with the help of her family to overcome a physically disabling illness and go on to become a world-class athlete. Kids will discover how Rudolph’s mother and siblings helped her overcome her handicap and become the able-bodied person she knew she was. “My doctor told me I would never walk again,” Rudolph recalled. “My mother told me I would. I believed my mother.” This is just one of the many examples of primary source details that enrich the unit.

Kids will be moved by Rudolph’s determination and grit. Young athletes will be inspired by her relentless belief in herself and her confidence in her own abilities. All readers can take a lesson from the prejudice Rudolph experienced after winning Olympic golds and her resolve to call it out as she saw it. There is much kids can take away from exploring Wilma Rudolph’s life, short as it was.