The Triumph Can’t Be Had Without the Struggle | Inspired by Wilma Rudolph | Original Artwork by Young Artist Lamonte | Andromeda Cook Studio

The Triumph Can’t Be Had Without the Struggle Collector Mug honors the life and legacy of Wilma Rudolph, an African American Olympic track and field athlete born on June 23, 1940, in Saint Bethlehem, Tennessee. She was the twentieth of twenty two children born to Blanche Rudolph, a housemaid, and Ed Rudolph, a railroad porter. Wilma was born prematurely and faced serious health challenges in early childhood, including polio, scarlet fever, and pneumonia, illnesses that weakened her left leg and made it difficult for her to walk. For several years she wore a leg brace, and doctors once believed she might never walk normally. With the support of her mother and family, Wilma spent years strengthening her leg through therapy and daily exercise. By the time she was twelve years old, she was able to walk without the brace, and not long after she began playing sports and running. In high school she became one of the fastest runners in Tennessee and was later recruited to Tennessee State Unive