Black Culture Was Center Stage at the Olympics, and It Meant So Much to Fans Like Me

Each Olympics is historic and memorable, but there was something special in the air this year.

From Snoop Dogg’s role as the ultimate hype man to the return of the greatest of all time Simone Biles, Black excellence was at the forefront of the entire Games. Aside from these athletes’ record-breaking performances and awe-worthy moments, when you look a bit closer, you can catch something else — flashes of Black culture, from grillz to decked-out nails and more.

This year, Biles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Jordan Chiles, and other prominent Olympians made me — and the entire Black community — proud to call ourselves American. Black culture is bold, impactful, and full of creativity, but it is often underappreciated, criticized, and deemed “ghetto.” Seeing the most elite athletes continue to uplift and support our community not only through their excellence and advocacy but also through their own sense of style was incredibly moving, and these moments are worth reflecting on and celebrating at least one more time.

Let’s start with Richardson, who brought home her gold and silver medals in style with her red, white, and blue Team USA manicure. Like track legend Florence Griffith Joyner, Richardson has become known for showing up and showing out for her races, especially when it comes to her nails. You can expect to see her rocking a beautifully designed long acrylic set anytime she competes, and this was no exception. Acrylic nails have been a staple in the Black community for decades. After their invention in the 1950s, Donyale Luna wore acrylics in her Vogue spread back in 1966 as the first Black woman to grace the cover.

When the US won the women’s gymnastics team all-around, Chiles celebrated by doing the iconic medal-biting pose. This not only showed off her gold medal, but also her diamond-encrusted gold grillz, which have always been a big part of hip-hop and Black culture.

Biles had a phenomenal comeback this Games, winning three gold medals and one silver. After winning the women’s individual all-around, Simone commemorated the moment by donning her 3D diamond goat necklace. As the greatest gymnast of all time, wearing a goat necklace is nothing short of iconic, and accessories like chains and finely crafted diamond necklaces are a very common and beloved part of Black culture. Rapper Flava Flav even reportedly offered to give Chiles a one-of-a-kind bronze clock chain after she had her bronze medal stripped by the International Olympic Committee.

My favorite way US athletes chose to highlight our culture, by far, was in their diverse range of hairstyles. From Tara Davis-Woodhall‘s box braids to Noah Lyles’s cornrows to Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s natural curls to Melissa Jefferson’s locs, there was no shortage of representation.

Seeing the best of the best wear their hair proudly is profound because even in 2024, we have to actively fight to not be discriminated against for our natural hair. Only 22 states have enacted the CROWN Act or something similar to protect us against race-based hair discrimination in schools and in the workplace.

As a Black American, it is so easy to become jaded, but when an unprecedented celebration of Blackness takes center stage at a monumental event like the Olympics, it’s necessary to commemorate the moment. With the killing of Sonya Massey occurring mere weeks before the opening ceremony and the anti-Black rhetoric that has come from Kamala Harris’s presidential race, it often feels like people only care about Black people when it’s convenient. You can’t love our rhythm but hate our blues.

That’s why I’m grateful to be alive at the same time as Biles, Gabby Thomas, and the countless Black Olympians who showed up and out for us. Watching these athletes represent a country that often mistreats and discards people like them while being unapologetically Black is one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I hope that this will not only change people’s negative perceptions surrounding Black culture, but also give all Black Americans the freedom to express themselves however they see fit.

Daria Yazmiene is a freelance writer, social media manager, and advocate for BIPOC communities. She is a proud graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.