Johnson, Rafer

Johnson, Rafer (Lewis)

Rafer Johnson, putting the shot in the Olympic decathlon, 1960

(credit: AP)

(born Aug. 18, 1935, Hillsboro, Texas, U.S.) U.S. decathlete. While a student at UCLA, he won the decathlon gold medal at the 1955 Pan-American Games. At the 1960 Olympic Games he became the first African American athlete to carry the U.S. flag in the Olympic procession, and he captured the decathlon gold medal.

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Johnson, Rafer (Lewis) (1934–  ) track and field athlete; born in Hillsboro, Texas. After placing second in the decathlon in the 1956 Olympics, he won the gold medal in the 1960 Games. After retiring from competition, he was active in youth and community affairs in Los Angeles.