Black women have made many contributions to the arts, literature, science, and politics in the United States of America. Black history should not be regulated to a month. Black History Month began as Negro History Week and was developed by Carter G. Woodson. Negro History Week was first celebrated in 1926. This was before African American and Africana studies were in most universities of the United States. Now students and the general public have greater access to information. Black women have made their mark in various fields. Though some forget in both the 20th century and present Black women excelled at sports. Women’s history attempts in fill in gaps, which were left out of the historical narrative. When bodybuilding is mentioned in sports history, women are omitted. Bodybuilding fans can recall many female athletes that dazzled the stage. Kevin Greene complied a list of 15 African American female bodybuilders with impressive physiques. Fan lists are personal favorites. At times, fan lists exclude other athletes who deserve recognition. Greene notes that the sport takes diligence and a patient demeanor. Women have to work harder due to physiological differences, limited data on women’s athletic training , and lack of promotion by sports organizations. African American women contributed much to the sport of bodybuilding from competing, developing the aesthetic, and breaking records.
Kevin Greene calls the physiques of the athletes insane for a reason. This is not a pejorative , rather an expression of their impressive physicality. Greene’s fan list places Alana Shipp at number one. Iris kyle should be placed their rather than mentioned at number six. Iris Kyle won ten Ms. Olympia contests. This does not only make her record holder for a champion woman bodybuilder. It means she won more Olympias than her male counterparts. To date, no Mr. Olympia has won ten contests. Kevin Greene’s putting Alana Shipp first is a personal preference.
Alana Shipp did have a great physique. A lightweight competitor, but Alana looked massive. At first she was going into the fitness category. However, her body responded so well Alana got too big for it. When Alana made it to the Ms. Olympia, she placed came in 4th place. That was incredible considering it was her Olympia debut. That was in 2014. Alana Shipp’s last contest was in 2016. The speculation was that Alana could have moved up in rankings if remained in the sport. Vickie Gates competed much longer. Vickie’s first contest was in 1984 and she retired from competition in 2003. At her largest she was a 160 lbs of physical might. Vickie Gates was able to bench press 285 lbs. Iris Kyle is stronger benching 375 lbs. Kevin Greene stated the women’s physiques are “so insane they make you look feeble.” Based on the lifting statistics this is fact. Monique Jones’ physique is just as formidable. Monique began as a figure competitor and then switched to bodybuilding. During a competition she actually competed in both the figure and bodybuilding category in 2001. The amazing part is she won both classes. Monique Jones ranked 7th on the IFBB women’s pro bodybuilding list. Jones was last on stage in 2020 and focuses on coaching clients. These women are formidable bodybuilders.
Carla Dunlap, Dayana Cadeau, Lesa Lewis, Yolanda Hughes, Nancy Lewis, and Yvetta Bova made Kevin Greene’s list. Carla Dunlap’s addition was an obvious choice. What Kevin Greene forgets to mention was that Carla was the first African American Ms. Olympia. That is a significant detail that cannot be omitted. American sports were for a longtime racially segregated. Baseball, football, and tennis needed African American athletes to break the color barrier. Bodybuilding was no different. Becoming the first black Ms. Olympia was not her only accomplishment. She one of the few to compete in the three decades of women’s bodybuilding existence. Carla Dunlap’s contest history was between the years of 1979 to 1993.
Dayana Cadeau’s competitive longevity was just as impressive. Dayana first competed in 1992. and retired after competing in physique in 2012. Her biceps were her best body parts. This development could be attributed to her upper body workout routines. Dayana Cadeau at the height of her strength could bench press 352 lbs. Lesa Lewis is often overlooked. Considering her size and muscularity Lesa should have won one Ms. Olympia contest. Her nickname was “Amazon” by her fans. That nickname was well earned. Lesa Lewis was 5 feet and 10 inches and weighed 193 lbs. Lesa was a real life She-Hulk. Yolanda Hughes was the quintessential mass monster of the 1990s. At her most immense Yolanda competed at 159 to 164 lbs. Yvetta Bova did not have a long competition history compared to other athletes. Compared to other athletes on the Greene’s list her record is the weakest. Nancy Lewis made a name for herself as a middleweight. Nancy made her competition debut in 1985 and made her last stage appearance in 2012. Nancy Lewis was another athlete that was ignored by the judges. With so many great bodybuilders, it makes it hard for judges to select a winner.
Laura Creavalle, Shari Pendleton, Thresa Bostick, Heather Foster, and Ernestine Shepherd were recognized on Greene’s fan list. Ernestine Shepherd is the only female bodybuilder on the list to have a Guinness Book World Record. She was in 2016 declared the oldest competitive bodybuilder at age 80. Ernestine has stepped away from competing in 2025, but continues to pump iron. Shari Pendleton might not be the most muscular, but is one of the toughest. Shari was Blaze on American Gladiators from 1989 to 1992. Shari would wrestle, joust, and knock down challengers on the show. The biggest mistake was American Gladiators terminating her employment. Shari competed with a weight of 145 lbs as a bodybuilder. Off season she was 160. Shari would be more than a match for Laura or Thresa.
Laura Creavalle has the distinction of being the most successful Guyanese bodybuilders. Laura was born in British Guiana, but emigrated to Canada. Her ancestry and nationality show the reach of the African Diaspora. Those of African descent also contributed to Latin America. Laura Creavalle was mostly in the top three in the 1991 to 1999 for the Ms. Olympia contest. Laura beats Shari in the amount of contests won. Laura would not win against her in American Gladiators. Thresa Bostick competed at 150 lbs, which means she might of given Shari more of a physical challenge. Doing more research shows just how powerful these athletes can be.
Heather Foster’s physique was not just amazing. Her body possessed an immense amount of strength. Heather was born in Jamacia, a nation connected to African American history. Marcus Garvey was a Jamaican immigrant to the United States who founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League. His pan-African and black nationalist ideas who influence the black power movement in the 1960s. Heather Foster is one of many Jamaicans that contributed to the United States. Heather Foster bench pressed 315 lbs.
According to some strength standard charts, she would in an advanced male range. Other charts was place Heather on class II range. Heather Foster would be stronger than all the beginner, novice, and intermediate men base on particular strength standards. Heather Foster falls into an elite male range of strength. Elite males below 148 lbs would still be weaker. The 150 lbs powerhouse was also skilled at posing routines. Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman contacted her for posing routine instruction. Heather had 19 years of competition and retired from the sport in 2011. Heather did not only look spectacular, her statistics proved it. Heather had 17 1⁄2 inches biceps. Heather was able win arm wrestling matches against many men. As a kid she would play sports with boys and engage in physical contests with them. Heather Foster was underrated.
Kevin Greene left off some other athletes, which deserve recognition. Two of them being omitted was acceptable. Andrea Shaw and Jada Beverly were not as well known in the late 2010s. Lenda Murray and Rene Toney where forces to be reckoned with. Lenda Murray was dominating the Ms. Olympia between 1990 and 1996. Then made a return winning both the 2002 and 2003 Ms. Olympia. Lenda Murray set the standard for the Ms. Olympia physique. Rene Toney did not compete as much, yet her body was a fortress of strength. Rene has the biggest biceps of any woman in the world according to measurements in 2006. Rene only competed in four bodybuilding contests. She should have competed more with a physique like that incredible. Lenda Murray’s biceps were 16 inches. Rene Toney had bigger biceps than a Ms. Olympia champion. Rene Toney was 210 lbs. Lenda Murray competed at 153 lbs. Rene Toney would just need to gain two more pounds to compete in a 212 division. That class only exists for men, but here physical is just that immense. Some critics claim that Rene was too extreme. Detractors tended to express her physique was too close to a masculine aesthetic. The position is unfair, because the sport is about building muscle. Rene had the symmetry, shape, and size for an excellent physique. Rene Toney should have won Ms. Olympia contests. She just did not compete enough to make it there. Rene Toney is from Brazil, which is another significant place to the African Diaspora. Peoples of African descent were brought there enslaved, but were able to preserve their culture.
A new generation of athletes emerged during the late 2010s to early 2020s. Andrea Shaw would become Ms. Olympia in 2020 and has remained so ever since. She wants to break Lenda and Iris’ records. That would mean winning until 2031. Jada Beverly must be mentioned for being a physique and bodybuilder competitor. She took a brief hiatus and then returned competing in physique. Now, Jada wants to compete in wellness. Switching classes is not that easy. Jada made it look simple. Jada and Andrea owe much to those athletes before them. The new group of athletes are adding to the sport, just like past competitors. When Kevin Greene wrote this, there was no way of predicting the rise of the new generation. Andrea Shaw winning the 2020 Ms. Olympia was a turning point. Iris Kyle was going to compete, but dropped out due to getting ill before competition. The torch was past. Kevin Greene’s fan list of favorite athletes needs to be updated. Over the next few years many African American women and other from the diaspora are going to become prominent.
