I wanted to honor #BlackHistoryMonth by highlighting some of the African American/Black Pro Wrestling pioneers and legends. For today's post I wanted to shed light on the woman who is known as the First Lady of African American Wrestling: Ethyl Johnson (May 14, 1935 - September 14, 2018.)
Trained by legendary Women's champion Mildred Burke, Johnson (with her two sisters Babs Wingo and Marva Scott) is considered the first true African American women's wrestling superstar. Billed as “The biggest attraction to hit girl wrestling since girl wrestling began!” Johnson would face off against not only her fellow African American women's wrestlers but also matched up against white women including her trainer Mildred Burke for the Women's Championship.
Johnson's repertoire included a standing dropkick and a flying head scissors, moves not seen from many wrestlers during this era both male and female. Not only was she an amazing athlete, she was seen as a sex symbol as a pinup.
She would continue to working for such companies as Big Time Wrestling, Capitol Wrestling Corporation (WWWF) and finally the American Wrestling Association. Her last match came in 1976 against her younger sister Marva Scott. She would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021.
#EthylJohnson #WomensWrestling #HERStory #WomensHistory #WomensStudies #AfricanAmericanStudies #BlackHistory #BlackStudies #BlackHistoryMatters #ProWrestling #LuchaLibre #Poruresu #SiscosFavoriteComics #HistorySisco
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