Badass Black Women History: Celebrating Black Women Who Said, âFuck it, Iâll Do It!â Susie Mae McCoy aka Sweet Georgia Brown The First Black Female Wrestler to Win a Singles Title
At only 19-years old, Susie Mae McCoy became South Carolinaâs first black female wrestler. In 1957, she went to train under one of wrestlingâs biggest names, The Fabulous Moolah and her husband, Buddy Lee. She chose the name âSweet Georgia Brownâ and by the time she was 20, she was one of Moolahâs most successful wrestlers.Â
Even though she was incredibly talented, she was still taken advantage of due to her age and race. Throughout her career in the deep south, she had to hide in the trunks of cars to avoid the KKK, who would protest the thought of a black woman being allowed in arenas and hotels. On top of that, Moolah and Buddy Lee took 25% of all of her profits, leaving McCoy with little to support herself. In the Vice documentary Dark Side of the Ring, it was finally revealed that Buddy Lee himself was the father of one of McCoyâs children, confirming long held rumors that Lee forced his trainees to sleep with him in exchange for better bookings.Â
Despite these challenges, McCoy remained strong and by 1963, she was chosen to beat the very white and very blonde Nell Stewart for the NWA Texas Womenâs title. This would make her the first black woman to ever win the belt in one of the NWAâs largest territories.Â
Sweet Georgia Brown retired in 1972. According to her family, she could no longer endure the abuse of Lee and Moolah. She died in 1989 from breast cancer at 51. Her successful 15-year career in one of the most racist, toughest and sexist industries around is truly badass. Â










