When people hear the term “horse racing”, one of the first things they think of is the Kentucky Derby! But did you know that the first winner of the Kentucky Derby was African American? In fact African American Jockeys dominated racing in the late 1800s winning 15 of the first 28 derbies. Many of them, along with black trainers, gained their freedom through racing and went on to be a part of some of the best stables in the history of the sport.
Following the end of the Civil War and in post -reconstruction America, the tradition of African American jockeys and trainers ended with Jim Crow laws and institutional racism. By 1904, Black riders had been virtually banned from the major racetracks, including Churchill Downs. While banned in America, Black jockeys and trainers took their talents to Europe, where the “Sport of Kings” allowed them to win hundreds of races. In fact, Isaac Murphy, the winner of three runnings of the Kentucky Derby, was considered one of the greatest race riders in American history, posting some of the fastest times in the record books. However, his story like so many others has not gotten the attention and credit that was so well deserved.
As a young man in Alabama, Cedric Pride learned the basics of the contributions of African Americans to the Kentucky Derby. But nothing could have prepared him for the wonder he felt when he learnt the rich and in- depth history of America’s first Black Sports Heroes”, majority of them enslaved, in the sport of horse racing. That is when Mr. Pride made it his mission to bring that history to life and celebrate these remarkable African American legends of the Kentucky Derby through his annual event, The Derby Heritage Celebration.
The 7 th annual Derby Heritage Celebration which has been listed as the “Social Event of the Year” in Denver, Colorado, has come back stronger than ever, following the hiatus taken during the Covid -19 pandemic. This year’s event comes with a monumental partnership with the Denver Polo Club, the host venue. It will take place on Saturday May 6 th , 2023, to coincide with the running of the Kentucky Derby. Past Derby Heritage Celebration events have been hosted by celebrities like Malik Yoba (New York Undercover), Morris Chestnut (Rosewood, The Best Man), and Leon (The Temptations, Five Heart Beats).
The Derby Heritage Celebration benefits Mr. Pride’s Non-Profit Organization, The Pride Initiative. The mission and purpose of The Pride Initiative is to establish a high-quality Innovations Arts & Education Foundation program that enables youth from financially challenged backgrounds to have a more level playing field, “Bridging the Economic Gap for People of Color”!
For more information about The Derby Heritage Celebration, please contact Mr. Cedric Pride via email at cedricpridepresents@ gmail.com.