11 Facts About Tidye Pickett

Tidye Pickett was an American track and field athlete.

Tidye Pickett represented the United States in the 80-meter hurdles at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, becoming the first African-American woman to compete in the Olympic Games.

Tidye Pickett was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 3,1914.

Tidye Pickett's mother was Sarah Pickett, a factory clerk, and Louis Pickett, a foundry foreman.

Tidye Pickett took up running as a schoolgirl; after competing in some local meets she caught the attention of long jumper John Brooks, who began to coach her.

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At the 1932 United States Olympic Trials Tidye Pickett competed in the 100-meter dash, winning her heat and placing third in her semi-final; she qualified for the final, where she placed sixth.

Tidye Pickett was named to the American Olympic team as part of the eight-woman 4 × 100 meter relay pool; she and Louise Stokes, who was part of the relay pool, were the first African-American women to be selected for the Olympic Games, but both of them were left out of the final four-woman relay lineup that ran at the Olympics.

Tidye Pickett continued her running career; in 1934 she ran the opening leg on a Chicago Park District team that set an unofficial world record of 48.

At the Olympics, Tidye Pickett survived the heats but went out in the semi-finals, falling at the second hurdle and injuring herself; she was the first African-American woman, as well as the first Illinois State University athlete, to compete in the Olympic Games.

Tidye Pickett later became a schoolteacher, serving as principal at an elementary school in East Chicago Heights until her retirement in 1980; when she retired, the school was renamed after her.

Tidye Pickett died in Chicago Heights, Illinois, on November 17,1986.