Three-time Olympian Earlene Dennis Brown was the first African-American woman to win a medal in the shot put. Brown is the only shot-putter to compete in three consecutive Olympics (1956, 1960, 1964). Brown won Olympic bronze for Women’s shot put in 1960. Along with winning Amateur Athletic Union Champion in shot put (1956-62, 1964), won Amateur Athletic Union Championship, discus (1958-59, 1961); won gold medal in shot put, silver medal in discus, USA-USSR dual meet (1958); was shot put and discus champion, Pan-American Games (1959); and placed 12th in shot put, Tokyo Olympics (1964).

Earlene Dennis was born on July 11, 1935 in Latexo, Texas. Once her parents Espenola Tillis Dennis, a domestic servant, and Willie Dennis, a semipro baseball player with the Negro League in Texas separated in 1938, Dennis moved with her mother and they moved to Los Angeles in 1945. Dennis attended Jordan High School in South Central Los Angeles, where she excelled in track and field. Dennis athletic ability was noticed by many, including Adeline Valdez, Dennis’s high school gym teacher, Josephine Spearman, and Coach Clarence Mackey, who attempted to get her to compete in the Helsinki Olympics (in 1952 in Helsinki, Finland). Valdez is credited with putting the first discus in Dennis’ hands while her history teacher taught her to shot put.

Graduating from high school in 1952, Dennis went to Compton Junior College and completed a machinist training program. She joined the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) at 21 after marrying Henry Brown, a brick mason. The couple had a son, Reggie, born November 14, 1955.

In 1956, Brown finished in the top ten in the shot put and the discus. In 1958 Brown earned the #1 world ranking and became the first American to break the 50-foot barrier. Brown won gold medals in the shot put as well as discus events at the Pan American Games in 1959. At the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 Brown placed 12th in the shot put.

Brown retired from the shot put competition in 1965. The same year she took up another sport, roller derby. Brown’s career in skating started as a blocker for the New York Bombers.

In 1975, Brown retired from all athletic ventures and began working as a beautician. On May 1, 1983, Earlene Dennis Brown passed away in Compton, California at the age of 47. On December 1, 2005, Earlene Brown was inducted in the National Track and Field Hall of Fame by the USA Track and Field (USATF) Association.

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