Sports

Wilma Rudolph, Althea Gibson, Billie Jean King: these iconic women athletes excelled in professional sports before 1972, when Title IX was passed into law, protecting people from being excluded from federal education programs on the basis of sex. Before Title IX, opportunities for women to play sports at school were limited. Since then, participation in sports has grown exponentially. Today there are several major women’s sports leagues in North America, including the Women’s National Basketball Association, the National Women’s Hockey League, and the National Women’s Soccer League.

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Collection Objects

Historic photographs and objects reveal the stories of incredible women athletes in our collections. 

  • Black sparkly leotard.
    Kristi Yamaguchi's Ice Skating Costume
  • On a golf course, "Babe" Didrikson swings a golf club and watches to see where her shot landed.
    Portrait of Babe Didrikson
  • Serena and Venus Williams pose next to each other, each wearing black tank tops. Venus's arm is around Serena's shoulder.
    Portrait of Venus and Serena Williams
  • white baseball dress.
    Betsy Jochum's South Bend Blue Sox Baseball Dress
  • Old and worn swimming goggles, with a single large orange lens to look through, and a strap to secure goggles behind head.
    Gertrude Ederle's Swimming Goggles

Videos

  • Mildred "Babe" Didrikson: boxing star, three-time Olympic medalist, and one of the best women's golf players of all time.

  • Billie Jean King talks about fighting for equality. In 2018, she was awarded the National Museum of American History's Great Americans medal.

Smithsonian American Women book cover.

Smithsonian American Women

Remarkable objects and stories of strength, ingenuity, and vision from the National Collection.

Smithsonian American Women book cover.

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