We’ve learned the stories of Black horsemen. What about the first Black woman jockey? | Opinion
Here in Lexington, Kentucky, Horse Capital of the World, we’ve had about a decade of unearthed information about Black contributions to the Thoroughbred industry, from the first winning jockeys of the early Kentucky Derby to trainers and owners and everyone in between.
But in this history, purposefully erased and forgotten through the years, there’s always more to learn, and in this case it’s the story of the first Black woman jockey.
Cheryl White was just 17 when she became licensed as a jockey in Ohio in 1971. She became a household name, was featured on the cover of Jet Magazine, and went on to dominate the Appaloosa and Quarterhorse racing tracks in California. But by the time she died in 2019, her ground-breaking story — the first woman to win five races in one day and 750 career wins — had slowly faded away.
Now Cheryl White’s story will be resurrected in the form of a children’s book, “The Jockey & Her Horse,” by award-winning New York Times journalist Sarah Maslin Nir and Raymond White Jr., Cheryl’s brother.
“Black excellence is often erased from the narrative,” Nir said in a recent interview. “I think Cheryl’s no exception.”
Nir and White will be in Lexington to publicize the book in a series of events on Sept. 19 and 20.
The book has already been optioned for two movies. But possibly more important is that Breyer, maker of the famous model horses has created the first real Black doll of White and her horse Jetolara.
White grew up around horses because her father was a trainer in Ohio; in 1932, he had a horse run in the Kentucky Derby.
Raymond White Jr. was eight and half years younger than Cheryl, and was acutely aware of her fame, even when she didn’t particularly care for it.
“She wasn’t a self promoter, Cheryl just wanted to ride,” he said. “She was tired of the attention, for lack of a better word, tired of being a token. Her story just kind of faded away.”
The choice to write about Cheryl in a children’s book was a natural choice, White said.
“I think it was the quickest way to get the story out there, and to reach children,” he said. “We didn’t write this book to have children become jockeys — it was to help them learn history and reach for their dreams and goals, whether being an astronaut, or a doctor, or a jockey. It was supposed to be inspirational.”
White and Nir are excited to come to Lexington, particularly to the East End, which housed many of the first Black jockeys, so they can continue to build the story around Black horsemen and women that was so effectively erased.
“Cheryl herself didn’t know she was part of this rich history,” Nir said. “She didn’t know she was riding on the shoulders of Ansel Williamson and Isaac Murphy.”
Nir said that many people around the U.S. still have no idea about the storied history of Thoroughbred racing, but hopes the book will change that: “Let’s take that message to the world.”
If you go: On Sept. 19, Nir and White will appear at a “Meet the Authors” event at the Keeneland Library from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Books will be available for purchase for $17. A brief program will be followed by a book signing. Event RSVPs to rferraro@keeneland.com.
On Sept. 20: After a trip to William Wells Brown to give out copies of the book, Nir and White will hold a “Meet the Authors” free event at the Lyric (6-7:30 p.m.) The first 100 attendees under the age of 18 will receive a free copy of “The Jockey & Her Horse” along with free General Admission passes to Keeneland’s Fall Meet.
