By Madison Butkus
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The Islington Branch of the Westwood Public Library (WPL) proudly welcomed author Aime Alley Card on Tuesday, February 6th to discuss her most recent book: “The Tigerbelles.” This book goes on to tell the epic story of the 1960 Tennessee State University (TSU) all-black women’s track team that went on to find Olympic glory at the 1960 games in Rome.
The book goes on to state, “The author (Card) tells a story of desire, success, and failure – of beating the odds – against the backdrop of a changing America, but tells it in an intimate way. Readers will come to know the individuals’ unique struggles and triumphs, while also understanding how these dreams emerged and solidified just as the country was struggling to leave the Jim Crow era behind.”
Westwood community members packed into the room, excited to hear more from Card about her writing process and how she became so fond of the Tigerbelles. Before going on to answer questions, Card played a mini documentary video created by Card and the New Hope Academy (NHA) in Franklin, Tennessee. The NHA holds the Edward Temple Scholarship, named after the Tigerbelles coach, and portions of the proceeds for Card’s book goes on to support this scholarship for students and athletes.
Attendees sat in awe of the video presentation, talking amongst friends at certain parts and laughing along with Coach Temple at others. This video discussed the beginning of the Tigerbelles and how they got their name, all the way to them winning gold in the Rome Olympics. Coach Temple could be seen discussing behind-the-scenes details of his time as coach, in pure admiration of the teams’ achievements. It was easy to tell just how much respect and discipline he had for the team, making certain rules for their safety around campus and meeting all the girls he had recruited at their homes with their families.
While the Tigerbelles team was created in 1952, it was not until the 1960s that they made their incredible gold-winning Olympic debut. This team was composed of Wilma Rudolph, Barbara Jones, Lucinda Williams, Martha Hudson, Willye B. White and Shirley Crowder. “Ultimately the team’s drive was for more than medals,” Card wrote, “Coach Temple and the Tigerbelles wanted to change the world’s perception of what a group of young Black women in the Jim Crow south were capable of.”
This book means the absolute world to Card as she has known of the Tigerbelles since she was a child. She had heard of their adversity as a group and how they persevered to spark change in our world. Card believes that the most important part of their journey is their origin and how they started. Through this perspective, we see a deeper meaning and understanding into what exactly they did: not just winning gold medals but sparking a change for Black women everywhere. For Card, she ultimately just wants to bring the most deserving light onto this amazing group of women.
For more information about “The Tigerbelles”, please visit Card’s website at www.aimecard.com.
