“Sepia Queen of Ice”: Black Press Coverage of Pioneering Figure Skater Mabel Fairbanks

Mabel Fairbanks, of African American and Indigenous descent, figure skated professionally for a decade in the mid-twentieth century. She faced numerous obstacles and was largely overlooked by the mainstream press and skating organizations during her lifetime. This study shows that, during her career, Fairbanks was subjected to intersectional discrimination based on race, gender, class, and geography. Denied the chance to compete in official skating events and represent the United States in international competitions, Fairbanks carved out her own opportunities performing locally and in touring ice shows. This study reconstructs Fairbanks’s life and career through the extensive coverage she received from the Black press. Using a rich collection of archival materials, it illuminates the central themes of this news coverage and argues that Fairbanks’s career adds to current knowledge about Black women athletes, intersectional discrimination in sporting bodies, and the Black press’ advocacy news value.