Matthews, Margaret (1935–)

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Matthews, Margaret (1935–)

African-American track-and-field athlete. Name variations: Margaret Matthews Wilburn. Born Margaret Rejean Matthews, Aug 5, 1935, Griffin, GA; m. Jesse Wilburn (Tennessee State football running back).

Won the broad jump title in the national outdoor AAU meet (1957); at AAU, was the 1st American woman to leap 20 feet in the broad jump (1958); won the AAU broad jump title (1957, 1958, 1959); won a bronze medal in the 4×100-meter relay at Melbourne Olympics (1956); was a member of the famed Tennessee Tigerbelles.

See also Women in World History.

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