Uriah JONES

In 1968 Uriah Jones made history by making the US Olympic team in the team foil fencing event, which made him the first African-American fencer for the United States at the Olympics. Jones competed for Salle Santelli, after several other clubs refused to allow him to fence for them. He was Amateur Fencers League of American (AFLA) champion in foil in 1971, the first US title ever won by a black man or woman, and also won team titles in foil with Salle Santelli in 1964, 1968, and 1972. Jones served in the Merchant Marines and then attended college, but got married and dropped out to support his family, working as a draftsman. Jones was inducted into the US Fencing Hall of Fame in 1999.