Milt Campbell

Milton “Milt” Campbell was the first African American athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in the decathlon. The Plainfield, New Jersey, native was 22 years old when he won the decathlon at the Olympic Games Melbourne 1956, beating then-world record holder Rafer Johnson. Campbell also earned the silver medal in the event at the Olympic Games Helsinki 1952 and won the decathlon at the 1953 U.S. Championships. Excelling in other sports as well, Campbell set world records in the indoor 60-yard high hurdles and the outdoor 120yd high hurdles in 1957, was an All-American swimmer, as well as a professional football player with the Cleveland Browns. Campbell played for a number of professional football teams in Canada before retiring from professional sports in 1964. He is the only athlete to be enshrined in both the National Track & Field Hall of Fame and National Swimming Hall of Fame. Campbell passed away Nov. 2, 2012 in Gainesville, Georgia, due to cancer and diabetes.