Black Sports History Month – Tidye Pickett

Jamal T. Jackson, LCSW

2/16/2022

Tidye Pickett attended Englewood High School (Chicago IL) in the 1930’s.  By 1932 Tidye had made a name for herself as an exceptional track and field athlete who broke National Records and earned a trip to the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles California.  Tidye and Louise Stokes, another track and field star, were the first African-American women selected for the 1932 Olympic games.  However, they were both left off the final Olympic team due to discrimination and racism.  Both would experience more bouts with discrimination and racism on their journey as Olympic athletes including, having a teammate pour water on them while sleeping, not being invited to hotel Olympic banquets like their white teammates, and having to share a room in the attic while their white teammates had private rooms.  Tidye would compete at the 1936 Olympics, where she qualified for the 80 meter hurdles but was unable to place due to an injury.  She attended Illinois State University and is the first student athlete from the school to compete in the Olympics.  Tidye would go on to become a school teacher and then principal in Chicago.  

Student Athlete Counseling would like to give a special shout out to student athlete pioneer Tidye Pickett on Black Sports History Month!

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