Oliver Lewis

Oliver Lewis, an African American jockey born in 1856 in Fayette County, Kentucky, made history as the first winner of the Kentucky Derby on May 17, 1875, aboard the horse Aristides. His victory in the inaugural race, held at Churchill Downs, was achieved in front of an estimated 10,000 spectators. The pair set an American record time over the mile and a half distance, which stood as a testament to the skill of Lewis and Aristides’ African American trainer, Ansel Williamson.

In the late 1800s, Black jockeys were prominent in horse racing and won over half of the first 28 runnings of the KY Derby. Despite this early success, racial discrimination eventually marginalized African American jockeys and trainers from the sport until the late 20th century when Black jockeys began their return to horse racing.

Despite Lewis’s significant contribution to the sport, his legacy was largely forgotten until recent years when Ruth Johnson-Watts, Lewis’s great-granddaughter, discovered his Derby achievement generations later. This revelation spurred further interest in Lewis’ journey. Lewis, who only rode in one Kentucky Derby, died in 1924 in Lexington, Kentucky. Remember Oliver Lewis not only as the first jockey to win the Kentucky Derby but also as an important figure in the history of African Americans in horse racing.