A Black Girl Won the 1908 Spelling Bee. Her Family Is Searching for Her Medal.
New York Times
At 14, Marie C. Bolden became the champion of what is believed to be the first national spelling competition in the United States. Her victory prompted a backlash.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/01/us/spelling-bee-marie-bolden-medal-search.html