November 20
On November 20, 1976, Olympian gymnast Dominique Dawes was born in Maryland.
Dominique Dawes is known for breaking color barriers in gymnastics. She was the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics. She was also the first African American to win an individual Olympic medal in gymnastics.
Dawes is a three-time Olympian. Her gymnastics journey started early on, when she was 6 years old. From the National Team all the way to the World Olympics she made history along the way. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, she became the first black gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics. 4 years later in 2000, Dawes officially retired from competitive gymnastics.
Today, as the owner of a gymnastics academy Dawes uses her skills and expertise to mentor the next generation of gymnasts. Her gymnastics academy, the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics and Ninja Academy, is located in Clarksburg, Maryland.
Sources
Former Olympic Star Dominique Dawes Brings A New Spirit To Gymnastics
The Black Blog 