In the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Class of 2024, a long-forgotten trail-blazing swimmer Pauline Jackson was inducted as an Honor Contributor – Administrator.
Pauline Jackson’s Legacy
Ned Denison of the IMSHOF described her, “Pauline is honored as a Contributor – Administrator in the IMSHOF, specifically as one of the first Black swimmers to compete in elite marathon races over 100 years ago, at a time when many competitions barred participation by Blacks. She must have seen and been inspired by the coverage of the successful English Channel crossing of IMSHOF Honor Swimmer Gertrude Ederle in 1926. In 1926, at the age of 35, Pauline entered and won her first open water swim. She set her sights on the English Channel and the Black press supported her intent, hopeful that a successful swim would promote racial equality.“
She was accepted in 1927 into the Wrigley Ocean Marathon across the Catalina Channel. In the photo above at the start of the Wrigley Ocean Marathon Swim on Santa Catalina Island, Jackson was listed as swimmer #36.
Her acceptance in the first Catalina Channel crossing attempt in history was a major news topic in New York and Los Angeles at the time. Unfortunately, Jackson was unable to raise the funds to travel across the country, pay for extended lodging in California, and secure a trainer and tracking boat for the event.
While the financial obstacles were too much to overcome, Jackson also faced an even more barrier to participation: the substantial color barriers in place during the 1920’s. Travel at the time could be highly difficult and dangerous for Blacks—especially single women traveling across the country. In many U.S. states, segregation and Jim Crow laws made it impossible to find a hotel, restaurant, or even restrooms that accommodated Blacks. While Black sportswriters expressed disappointment that Jackson failed to show up for the Catalina Channel crossing, they continued to praise her as the ‘champion Black woman swimmer’ and supported her aspirations.
She completed in the 1927, 1928 [start shown above] and 1931 Wrigley Marathon Swims held at the Canadian National Exhibition. She was the first and only Black (male or female) to participate in the marathons of 1927 and 1928, and the only Black woman to compete in the 1931 swim. In the combined male/female 21 mile event in 1927 there were 173 starters. Only 3 finished in 9°C (48°F) waters and Pauline lasted 6 hours swimming a total of 11 miles. She outperformed almost all other starters including the favorite Canadian IMSHOF Honor Swimmer George Young – which was again major news. In 1928 she completed 7.5 of the 10 miles and in 1931 she completed 9 of the 10 miles before being pulled with cramps.“
Steven Munatones imagined, “While she willingly pitted herself against the world’s best marathon swimmers of her day at the world’s most competitive and difficult races, we do not even know what pools she was allowed into. She faced nearly insurmountable odds, unimaginable in modern-day America, but her bright smile that we see from the few existing photographs of her and her heartfelt passion for marathon swimming were clearly evident from her participation in these races.
She was known for her cold-water tolerance, but we can imagine that was probably because she was only able to train in the open water throughout the year.“
Unfinished Waters
Not Maria Redman from Virginia is embarking on her own English Channel journey, trying to finish was Pauline Jackson started.
Redman is working on Unfinished Waters, a multi-year project documenting the physical preparation, mental resilience, and cultural significance of completing an English Channel crossing that Jackson was never able to start. Her journey will include open water training swims across the United States and Europe leading up to her Channel attempt.
She is also creating The Pauline Jackson 100 Initiative with the goal of providing 100 children from underserved communities with a full year of swim lessons, along with swim caps, goggles, and water-safety education.
She explains, “It is a mission to honor Pauline’s legacy while expanding access to swimming for the next generation. This past July, I swam the UltraSwim 33.3 in Lake Geneva, Switzerland, the first major milestone on my road to the English Channel.
The cost of travel, lodging, training support, escort boats, and the reality of navigating America and Europe as a Black woman in the 1920s made pursuing her dream extraordinarily difficult. Yet she demonstrated extraordinary courage and endurance. This resonates with me in so many ways. My journey is no longer just about crossing the English Channel, but also about carrying forward a story that deserved to be remembered.“
Unfinished Water: Help Finish The Dream here.
Redman explains, “This is not symbolic. It is physical. Cold water. Distance. Commitment. But most of all — it is unfinished. Help finish the dream.”
© 2026 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
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