James Perkins

James "soup" Perkins, 1880-1911, a jockey, rode Halma, wire to wire win in the Kentucky Derby in 1895,at 15 years of age. one of the youngest black jockeys, his nickname came from his love of soup, he weighed 90 lbs. his parents were slaves at Major Flournoy's Walnut Hall,Lexington,Ky.His father was John Jacob Perkins, a standard-bred trainer, and his mother was Mattie.

Source: static.kentuckyderby

Isaac Murphy

Isaac Burns Murphy, (April 16, 1861 - February 12, 1896), was an African-American Hall of Fame jockey, who is considered one of the greatest riders in American Thoroughbred horse racing history. Murphy won three Kentucky Derbies.

Source: ppaath | google

W. Hicks

W. Hicks, was accustomed to handling horse and mules since the age of 7.  By the age of 8 he could drive a 3-mule team harnessed to a cart around the Louisiana Plantation he worked on for 25 cents a day, more than the daily average.  He started racing Quarter horses at bush tracks, winning all four races his first day. He soon won his first recognized Thoroughbred race. He won his first recognized Thoroughbred race on October 4, 1902.

Source: vintage black photos | via blackhistoryalbum