I ran and ran and ran every day, and I acquired this sense of determination, this sense of spirit that I would never, never give up, no matter what else happened.

Route 79 in Clarksville Tennessee between the Interstate 24 exit 4 in Clarksville to the Red River (Lynnwood-Tarpley) bridge near the Kraft Street intersection was renamed to honor Wilma Rudolph. On July 14 2004 the United States Postal Service issued a 23 cent DistinguiWilma Rudolphd Americans series postage stamp in recognition of her accomplishments. A track and field champion Wilma Rudolph elevated women's track to a major presence in the United States.

As a member of the black community Wilma Rudolph is also regarded as a civil rights and women's rights pioneer. In the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field during a single Olympic Games.