Black History Month: The 20 Greatest Moments for Black Pro Wrestlers

Today marks the beginning of Black History Month, a 29-day celebration of the African-Amercian community. There has been a lot of African-American firsts that came up in pro wrestling history. From superstars to champions to big-time events, many African-American men broke into the business early on to blaze trails. That would be used to help other men in recent years become world champions, managers and even authority figures.

Black History Month can now be used to tell the current generation of wrestlers and wrestling fans what exactly was done to bust barriers and bring equality to the sports entertainment world. Some may say that there still is not any equality with African-American superstars, while others would believe that it is a better world now than ever to be a black wrestler. Here are some of the great moments thus far in history.

Bobo Brazil Breaks Barriers

Any history lesson with African-Americans and pro wrestling should start with Bobo Brazil or not bother starting at all. Brazil is widely considered to be the Jackie Robinson of pro wrestling by debuting in the early 1950s. Brazil was a top babyface at his time, facing the likes of The Shiek and Killer Kowalski during his four-decade career. Brazil would challenge Bruno Sammartino for the WWF Championship unsuccessfully.

His brightest moment came in 1962, when Brazil defeated Buddy Rodgers to become the NWA World Champion. The reign still is not acknowledged by the NWA as an official reign. Besides that title, Brazil won many others, including becoming the first-ever WWWF United States Champion, winning it a total of seven times in his career. Brazil would win NWA gold in eight different promotions, winning world championship gold nearly everywhere he went. Brazil would later be the mentor for Rocky Johnson.

Brazil was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in their first full class in 1994. Brazil's class also included the large names of Rodgers, Arnold Skaaland, "Classy" Freddie Blassie, Gorilla Monsoon and Chief Jay Strongbow. Another name from that class was James Dudley, the first African-American promoter in wrestling history and a former manager of Brazil.

Ernie Ladd Transistions from Football to Wrestling

Some of the best African-American wrestlers got their start in pro football. Ernie Ladd was the first big name to do just that. The 6'9", 315-pound Ladd was drafted in both the NFL and AFL, but would be a four-time All-Star and one-time champion during eight seasons in the AFL.

But it was Ladd's hobby as a pro wrestler in the early 1960s that would turn into his full-time job after being done with playing football.

Ladd knew how to play a heel. He would make up names for people and always have his thumb taped up for an advantage, citing an old football injury. Ladd would also become known as one of the first to accept defeat via walking out of a match and taking a countout loss. It would be known by some as "pulling an Ernie Ladd."

Ladd would win countless championships in various territories until his retirement in 1984. Ladd would earn induction into both the WCW and WWE Hall of Fames, a rare accomplishment to be had. Ladd would join WCW and WWE's Hall of Fames in 1994 and 1995, respectively.

Tony Atlas and Rocky Johnson Are First African-American Tag Team Champions

Billed as The Soul Patrol, Tony Atlas and Rocky Johnson made history on Nov. 18, 1983. At a broadcast of Championship Wrestling from Allentown, Penn., Atlas and Johnson would become the first-ever African-American tag team champions in WWE history. On that night, the duo defeated The Wild Samoans to gain the belts.

The reign would last 154 days before being defeated by Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch. Those titles would be referred to later as the World Tag Team Championships, a now-defunct championship. Atlas and Johnson's reign stands today as the 27th-longest title reign in the almost 40-year history of the prestigious titles.

S.D. Jones Is First African-American Partipant in WrestleMania History

In 1985, WWE had a concept for a massive wrestling event. It was called WrestleMania, and inside Madison Square Garden, it would change the landscape of the pro wrestling business forever. There were a few African-American men on the card that night, but the first of them to appear at WrestleMania was S.D. Jones.

In just the second match in WrestleMania history, S.D. Jones certainly had a special delivery to make to King Kong Bundy. What he delivered was one of the quickest endings to a WrestleMania match in history. In just nine seconds, Jones was lying on his back, counting the lights on the ceiling of the Garden. The match would stand for 23 years as the shortest WrestleMania match of all-time until Kane defeated Chavo Guerrero for the ECW Championship in just eight seconds at WrestleMania XXIV.

Mr. T Main Events First WrestleMania

Later on that night, celebrity Mr. T would embark on a daunting task: main eventing the first WrestleMania. In March of 1985, Mr. T would do just that in a tag team match. Now, Mr. T isn't exactly the best grappler, but his marketability in the main event helped launch WrestleMania to what it has become nearly three decades later.

Alongside the wildly popular Hulk Hogan, Mr. T defeated Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Mr. T's feud with Piper would hang over to WrestleMania II, where the two would be involved in a boxing match as the main event of the Nassau Coliseum part of the card with multiple venues. For competing in two WrestleMania main events and delivering on the hype, WWE is forever in gratitude to Mr. T.

Ron Simmons Is First African-American World Champion

Here is where the controversy ends for some people. Ron Simmons is recognized by many as the first-ever official world champion in history. At a live event in Baltimore in August 1992, Simmons shocked the world to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Simmons would be just the fifth champion in the title's history.

Defeating Big Van Vader, the former Florida State football player would hold the title for 150 days. That reign would be the seventh-longest in the 20-year history of the title, putting Simmons higher than everyone except for reigns by Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Vader, Hulk Hogan and Goldberg. That's a pretty prestigious list for WCW's history.

Slick Is Wrestling's First African-American Manager

The "Doctor of Style" was the first WWF manager to be African-American upon his debut in 1986. Slick would use his talents to manage countless superstars in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Slick was, as he liked to say, "lean and mean, with pockets full of green," as he was such a smooth talker.

Perhaps the finest work done by the Jive Soul Bro was when he turned the One Man Gang into Akeem the African Dream. Alongside the Big Boss Man, Slick managed the duo in the famous tag team, The Twin Towers. Slick is yet to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, but that is likely just a matter of time from changing.

Lawrence Taylor Wins WrestleMania XI Main Event

In 1995, WrestleMania XI had such contests as Razor Ramon and Jeff Jarrett for the Intercontinental Championship and Diesel facing Shawn Michaels for the WWF Championship. However, the final match of that event was the much-anticipated showdown of Bam Bam Bigelow and NFL linebacker Lawrence Taylor.

The legendary New York Giant began the feud when he was ringside at Royal Rumble, and Bigelow took his frustrations out on the football player. Multiple media outlets covered the event, as Taylor apparently was trained by Diesel. In the end, Taylor would pull off the victory.

Mabel Becomes King Mabel

The 1995 King of the Ring tournament featured 16 great superstars. Mabel, a member of Men on a Mission, always seemed like a heavy favorite due to his size. At 6'9" and almost 500 pounds, Mabel would defeat Adam Bomb to make it to the quarterfinals. After an upset victory over The Undertaker, Mabel would enjoy a bye into the finals. In the finals of the tournament, Mabel would defeat Savio Vega to become the King of the Ring.

Mabel wouldn't gain much success from the honor. In fact, King Mabel would end up being released from the WWF in early 1996.

Ahmed Johnson Is First African-American Intercontinental Champion

Ahmed Johnson might not be remembered as a fantastic superstar, but he did end up with a milestone victory in 1996. Johnson would become the first African-American man to hold the prestigious Intercontinental Championship. Johnson would defeat Goldust at King of the Ring to win the title. Johnson seemed on the fast track to bigger success, but would be diagnosed with kidney failure and be forced to vacate the title.

Nation of Domination Forms

There has been a lot made for what issues African-American superstars have had in becoming successful in pro wrestling, specifically in WWE.

In a mash-up of the Nation of Islam and the Black Panthers, The Nation of Domination began in 1996, as Faarooq would begin with a group of supporters who would not wrestle. Multiple men would join the group, including Crush, Savio Vega and D'Lo Brown. After a loss to The Undertaker, a frustrated Faarooq would get rid of the entire group except for D'Lo Brown.

Faarooq would then bring in Kama Mustafa and Ahmed Johnson. After Johnson was injured, Rocky Maivia would be brought in as a replacement. Mark Henry and Owen Hart would also end up as members of this group, which lasted from November 1996 until November 1998.

Mike Tyson Headlines WrestleMania 14

Mike Tyson is going into the WWE Hall of Fame due to the exposure that the company gained from having him involved in WrestleMania XIV. In 1998, Shawn Michaels and D-Generation X would align with Tyson and would see him named an enforcer in the title match between Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Tyson's fight with Austin on an episode of RAW would get the whole world talking. Media outlets across the world were at WrestleMania to see Austin and Michaels go one on one.

The end of the match would see Tyson get involved and count a quick three-count for Austin, giving Austin the world title. It would be Michaels' last match at the time, citing back injuries, while Tyson's punch to Michaels and alignment with Austin would signal the beginning of the Attitude Era.

Jacqueline Is First African-American Women's Champion

The Women's Championship in WWE was not a very popular title with fans, but was revived in 1998, as more female wrestlers would be brought in to compete. At an episode of RAW in September 1998, Jacqueline would defeat Sable to become the first champion in the revived history of the title, as well as being the first African-American woman to win the championship.

The Rock Wins WWF Championship

The African-American community was clamoring for the first black WWF Champion in the promotion's history. The rise of the Nation of Domination, as well as the Attitude Era, seemed to align the stars for someone to eventually break that barrier.

At 1998's Survivor Series, nicknamed Deadly Game, The Rock would win the championship tournament to become WWF Champion. The Rock would be a fan favorite throughout the night, fending off advances from The Corporation before the finals against top Corporation star Mankind.

The Rock would defeat Mankind as The Corporation would turn on Mankind. The Rock was not just the first African-American WWF Champion, but would be known as The Corporate Champion.

D'Lo Brown Is "Eurocontinental" Champion

Three men in history have been called the "Eurocontinental" Champion, the combination of European and Intercontinental. Only these man have held both championships at the same time.

In 1999, D'Lo Brown became the first-ever man to do such a thing. D'Lo would defeat Mideon for the European Championship at Fully Loaded and defeat Jeff Jarrett for the Intercontinental Championship two nights later at a RAW taping to win both titles.

Booker T Begins WCW Invasion

In 2001, the Invasion storyline by WCW was done to spice up the WWF and bring WCW assets over to their rival company following the purchase by Vince McMahon. At King of the Ring, Booker T, who was WCW Champion and WCW United States Champion, would kick off the Invasion correctly by interfering the main event of the night. The run-in would establish Booker T as a heel in the storyline and a big leader of the WCW front.

Teddy Long Becomes First African-American Authority Figure

Teddy Long was once a manager, and even a referee. It wasn't until July 24, 2004 that Long would truly find his place in the company: authority figure. Long would be named the general manager of Smackdown, a role that he holds today.

Long has been in charge of Smackdown in multiple stints, as well as showing some authority on episodes of Raw and being a general manager in ECW for a time. Long would be remembered for his dancing, his niche of calling people "playa" and booking obvious tag team matches.

Bobby Lashley Is First Ever African-American ECW Champion

It's hard to believe that the original Extreme Championship Wrestling never had an African-American champion, but the first to ever be given the title was Bobby Lashley under WWE's version of the extreme promotion. In December of 2006, Lashley would win an Extreme Elimination Chamber at December to Dismember to win the championship from Big Show. The match also involved CM Punk, Rob Van Dam, Test and Hardcore Holly.

Lashley's reign would last 147 days until Mr. McMahon, who developed a feud with Lashley, would have the champion beaten up at Backlash 2007 before pinning Lashley and winning the ECW Championship.

Ezekiel Jackson Is Final ECW Champion in Existence

The final night of ECW was a bittersweet one for those who missed the original incarnation of the extreme brand or enjoyed WWE's version of it. The final match in the brand's existence pitted ECW Champion Christian against the challenger, Ezekiel Jackson. Run-ins with Zack Ryder, ECW General Manager Tiffany and William Regal would all end with Jackson defeating Christian to become the last ECW Champion ever.

The Personification of Domination would not have time to celebrate. Besides this shot in the ring, Jackson never held the belt again due to it being retired with the brand.

Mark Henry Wins World Heavyweight Championship

There's not much history behind this because Booker T's World Heavyweight Championship of King of the Ring wins could be here instead. Mark Henry's world title win last year brought us full circle. Henry was a longtime employee of WWE and had never held a world championship in his long career. A gimmick rivaling his Nation of Domination attitude had Henry being fed up of being held back and wished to put people in his Hall of Pain. Henry had not acted like this since Teddy Long was his manager.

Henry would destroy Randy Orton at Night of Champions to win the World Heavyweight Championship.

Follow @RobertAitkenBR