Today in Black History: February 8th
1986 – Debi Thomas Wins Women’s Single
Debi Thomas, born in 1967 in Poughkeepsie, New York, made history as the first African-American woman to win a medal in the Winter Olympics and the first to win a national figure skating title. Starting skating at age five, she began serious training at nine and gained national attention at 12, winning the silver medal at the national novice finals. While attending Stanford University, she clinched the 1986 U.S. National Ladies Figure Skating Women’s Singles title and then the gold in the World Figure Skating Championships, earning her ABC’s Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year award. Her accomplishments secured her spot as the first Black woman in history to win a national figure skating title.
1960– Gary Coleman Born
Bornon on February 8, 1968 in Zion, Illinois, Gary Coleman, gained fame as a child star in the iconic TV sitcom Diff’rent Strokes. Discovered in a Chicago bank commercial at age 10, he played Arnold Jackson, one of two Black brothers adopted by a wealthy white man. The show ran from 1978 to 1986, earning him four consecutive People’s Choice Awards. Coleman faced health challenges, undergoing kidney transplants and dialysis throughout his life. The 4 feet 8 inches tall star saw his acting career wane, leading him to later work as a security guard and a commercial pitchman. His life took a tragic turn in 2010 when he suffered a fatal head injury from a fall, leading to his death at the age of 42.
