There have been many accomplished African American jockeys throughout history who made significant contributions to horse racing in the United States. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, African American jockeys were prominent in the sport and often achieved great success despite facing prejudice and discrimination.

One of the most famous African American jockeys in history was Isaac Burns Murphy, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest jockeys of all time. Born into slavery in Kentucky in 1861, Murphy went on to become the first jockey to win three Kentucky Derbies (1884, 1890, 1891) and had an incredible winning percentage of over 40% in his career. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1956.

Other notable African American jockeys include Willie Simms, who won the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness Stakes in the late 19th century, and Jimmy Winkfield, who won the Kentucky Derby in 1901 and 1902.

Despite their success and skill, African American jockeys faced increasing discrimination and barriers to entry in the sport in the early 20th century. The rise of segregation and Jim Crow laws in the South led to the decline of African American participation in horse racing, and by the mid-20th century, there were very few Black jockeys competing at top levels.

In recent years, there has been a renewed effort to celebrate and honor the contributions of African American jockeys in the history of horse racing, and organizations like the Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden in Lexington, Kentucky, work to preserve the legacy of these trailblazing athletes.