Ibtihaj Muhammad's Fencing Mask
Ibtihaj Muhammad's Fencing Mask
Encouraging acceptance through sport
For generations, U.S. Olympic athletes have proudly worn the American flag—a symbol of independence, patriotism, and revolution. At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, American saber fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad embodied all three qualities. Wearing this mask over her hijab, the traditional head covering of Muslim women, she became the first Muslim American athlete to compete in a headscarf and the first Muslim American woman to earn an Olympic medal.
