Off to the Races

48 x 60 oil painting on gallery wrapped canvas.

History books often overlook the fact that African Americans used to dominate horse racing. In fact, some of the wealthiest black professional athletes at the turn of the century were jockeys, many of whom were formerly enslaved. Of course, through an organized effort by white elites, they were eventually pushed out of the sport.  This painting is an ode to that rich, if forgotten, legacy of black horse racing.