Norristown Olympian Josh Culbreath's Pioneering Legacy Lives On

NORRISTOWN, PA — Generations after his championship runs, the legacy of an all-time great sprinter from Norristown lives on.

Josh Culbreath, who was born and raised in Norristown, won a bronze medal in the 400 meter hurdles at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic games.

The municipality featured him recently as part of a Black History Month memorial to some of the most influential African-Americans in history with ties to the Norristown area.

In addition to his Olympic medal, Culbreath won three USA national titles and three Penn Relays 400 meter hurdles titles from 1953 to 1955, two Pan American Games gold medals in 1955 and 1959, and set the world record in the event in 1957.

He did it all while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

"I made a difference representing my country," Culbreath later said in his biography, 'The Olympian Leap.' "And I think I represented it well."

Running just a few Olympics after Jesse Owens broke barriers for Black athletes with his historic performances in 1936, Culbreath became a pioneer himself in the hurdles.

After his athletic career, Culbreath obtained a Master of Arts in education from Temple University, and became an instructor and successful track coach for decades.

His biography notes the enormous influence he had on younger athletes, who affectionately called him "pop" and saw him as a father figure. The forward to Culbreath's biography is written by Edwin Moses, widely considered the greatest hurdler in history. Moses calls Culbreath one of his "true heroes... and mentors."

Culbreath died in 2021 at 88.