Young Black Speller's Historic 1908 Victory Marred by Racism, Award Lost to History

In 1908, 14-year-old Marie C. Bolden became the first Black champion of the U.S. national spelling competition.
Bolden led her Cleveland classmates to win the team championship despite facing discrimination from Southern newspapers.
Booker T. Washington, who attended the competition, praised Bolden's victory but her achievement was met mostly with prejudice and rancor.
Bolden's award was lost to history, though researchers recently took up the search for her medal.
Bolden's groundbreaking victory and the backlash to it highlight the racial barriers Black Americans faced during the early 20th century.