Background
Of African-American and Seminole descent, Mabel Fairbanks was born on November 14, 1915 in Florida"s Everglades. Fairbanks never met her father and was orphaned at the age of eight when her mother died.
Of African-American and Seminole descent, Mabel Fairbanks was born on November 14, 1915 in Florida"s Everglades. Fairbanks never met her father and was orphaned at the age of eight when her mother died.
She was inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame, as the first African-American, and the International Women"s Sports Hall of Fame. She had a sister, Pearl, who was younger by a year, and an elder brother. A wealthy woman saw her sleeping on a park bench and offered her a job as a babysitter at a home overlooking Central Park.
Fairbanks began figure skating around 1925 to 1928.
After observing children at the Central Park ice rink, Fairbanks bought herself used skates, which were two sizes too big, and went to join them. She said, "Blacks didn"t skate there.
She gained further inspiration after seeing Sonja Henie in the 1936 film One in a Million. In the 1930s, Fairbanks, due to her race, was denied access to the local rink by the cashier but she kept returning until the manager admitted her.
Maribel Vinson Owen and Howard Nicholson provided her with technical advice.
Fairbanks was not allowed to compete in the national qualifying event for the Olympics or any competition. In a 1998 interview, she said, "If I had gone to the Olympics and become a star, I would not be who I am today."
Fairbanks performed in shows in New York until the 1940s. After relocating to Los Angeles, she toured internationally, skating with Ice Capades in Mexico and later with Ice Follies.
Fairbanks coached singles and pairs, including Tiffany Chinese, Billy Chapel, Scott Hamilton, Kristi Yamaguchi / Rudy Galindo, Tai Babilonia / Randy Gardner, Leslie Robinson, Michelle McCladdie, Richard Ewell, Debi Thomas, Atoy Wilson, and Jean Yuna.
She also taught skating to the children of many celebrities. In 1997, she became the first African American inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame.
She was inducted into the International Women"s Sports Hall of Fame in October 2001.
