The Prince of Jockeys: The Life and Career of Isaac Murphy

FAIN: FB-55912-11

Pellom McDaniels III
University of Missouri, Kansas City (Kansas City, MO 64110-2235)

My project entitled "The Prince of Jockeys: The Life and Career of Isaac Murphy" examines the significance of one of the nineteenth century's least celebrated athletes. The central aim of my project will be concerned with the genesis, maintenance and execution of Murphy's particular style of masculinity within a confluence of factors, the majority of which were beyond his control. As an athlete and a man of means, Murphy exceeded the expectations white men had of African American men during the late nineteenth century, and became an acceptable symbol of manhood that black spectators came to depend upon. Through his performances on the race track and his adherence to the ideology of respectability, Murphy contested traditional notions of blackness while advancing new meanings to associate with black manhood.

Associated Products

The Prince of Jockeys: The Life of Isaac Burns Murphy (Book)
Title: The Prince of Jockeys: The Life of Isaac Burns Murphy
Author: Pellom McDaniels III
Abstract: xx
Year: 2013
Publisher: Lexington: University Press of Kentucky
Type: Single author monograph
Copy sent to NEH?: Yes

The Prince of Jockeys (Exhibition)
Title: The Prince of Jockeys
Curator: Pellom McDaniels
Abstract: Isaac Burns Murphy (1861–1896) was one of the most dynamic jockeys of his era. Still considered one of the finest riders of all time, Murphy was the first jockey to win the Kentucky Derby three times, and his 44 percent win record remains unmatched. Despite his success, Murphy was pushed out of Thoroughbred racing when African American jockeys were forced off the track, and he died in obscurity. In The Prince of Jockeys: The Life of Isaac Burns Murphy, author Pellom McDaniels III offers the first definitive biography of this celebrated athlete, whose life spanned the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the adoption of Jim Crow legislation. Despite the obstacles he faced, Murphy became an important figure—not just in sports, but in the social, political, and cultural consciousness of African Americans. Drawing from legal documents, census data, and newspapers, this comprehensive profile explores how Murphy epitomized the rise of the black middle class and contributed to the construction of popular notions about African American identity, community, and citizenship during his lifetime.
Year: 2013
Primary URL: http://www.theprinceofjockeys.com
Primary URL Description: Website for The Prince of Jockeys book and exhibition

The Prince of Jockeys (Exhibition)
Title: The Prince of Jockeys
Curator: Pellom McDaniels III
Abstract: One of America’s greatest jockeys, Isaac Burns Murphy was known for his honesty, his ability with horses, and his gentlemanly decorum. Born during slavery and coming to prominence at the end of Reconstruction, Murphy was an example of African American success and achievement. This exhibition explores the life and career of Murphy, as well as the significance of African American men in general to the development of horse racing as America’s first spectator sport. Using photographs, illustrations, and texts, the 25 didactic panels account for the intersecting contexts within which Murphy came to be known as the Prince of Jockeys.
Year: 2013
Primary URL: http://www.theprinceofjockeys.com/Exhibitions.html

The Prince of Jockeys (Exhibition)
Title: The Prince of Jockeys
Curator: Pellom McDaniels III
Abstract: One of America’s greatest jockeys, Isaac Burns Murphy was known for his honesty, his ability with horses, and his gentlemanly decorum. Born during slavery and coming to prominence at the end of Reconstruction, Murphy was an example of African American success and achievement. This exhibition explores the life and career of Murphy, as well as the significance of African American men in general to the development of horse racing as America’s first spectator sport. Using photographs, illustrations, and texts, the 25 didactic panels account for the intersecting contexts within which Murphy came to be known as the Prince of Jockeys.
Year: 2013
Primary URL: http://www.theprinceofjockeys.com/Exhibitions.html

The Prince of Jockeys (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)
Title: The Prince of Jockeys
Writer: Colin Mayfield
Abstract: In part with Black History Month, the Kentucky Derby Museum will open a new exhibit about one of the best jockeys in history.
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://www.wlky.com/news/kentucky-derby-museum-holds-exhibit-for-famous-africanamerican-jockey/31118640
Format: Web

The Prince of Jockeys (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)
Title: The Prince of Jockeys
Writer: Steve Kraske and Jennie Whitty
Abstract: After nearly 120 years, jockey Issac Burns Murphy's winning record is still the highest in American horse racing history. Though he won three Kentucky Derbies and set numerous records throughout his career, Murphy had to deal with the harsh reality of being black in the still deeply segregated South. On this edition of Up to Date Pellom McDaniels III talks with Steve Kraske about his new biography of "The Prince of Jockeys" whose life and career spanned the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow. Guest: Pellom Mc Daniels III is an Assistant Professor of African American Studies at Emory University and the author of The Prince of Jockeys: The Life of Isaac Burns Murphy.
Year: 2014
Primary URL: http://kcur.org/post/issac-burns-murphy-prince-jockeys-0
Format: Digital File
Format: Web

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