OAKLAND, Calif. - Dec. 27, 2023 - PRLog -- The National Black Marathoners Association (NBMA) will induct Joseph Gray and retired Marine Corps Major Shalisa "Lisa" Davis into the National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame on March 16 at Laney College's Odell Johnson Performing Arts Center Concert Hall in Oakland, CA. The documentary We ARE Distance Runners: Untold Stories of African American Athletes will also be premiered. This event is a part of the NBMA's Twentieth Anniversary Summit at the Oakland Running Festival. Information is available at https://blackmarathoners.org/2024-hall-of-fame.shtml.
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Joseph Gray Joseph Gray is considered the Greatest Male Mountain runner of all time according to a World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) poll. Not only has he competed in mountain and trail running races, he's also a two-time winner of the World Snowshoe Championships and the USA Snowshoe National Title. He won his first USA Mountain Running National Championships in 2009 and became a twenty-three-time USA National Champion across track, cross country, trail, mountain, snowshoe, and road ultras.
He's the first African American to represent the U.S. Mountain Running Team and works to inspire more minorities to pursue the sport. He's earned numerous awards and recognition in his professional career, including being the
Two-time World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) World Champion
Thirty-six-time USA National Team Member
Twelve-time USA Mountain Runner of the Year
Six-time XTERRA Trail Running World Champion
Four-time Pikes Peaks Ascent winner
Ten-time USA Mountain Running National Champion
Two-time USA 50k Ultramarathon Road Running National Champion
Three-time USA Trail Half Marathon National Champion
For information about his professional accomplishments, click here.
Shalisa Davis Shalisa "Lisa" Davis is a retired Marine Corps major. In 2017 at 47 years old, she set the female world record for finishing marathons on the seven continents in seven days, thirty minutes, and twenty-seven seconds. She's one of about sixty people in the world and one of only three Blacks, who completed the 26.2-mile marathon "hat trick" which consists of
Completing at least 100 marathons (2016)
Running a marathon in each of the 50 states (2016)
Finishing a marathon on all seven continents (2017)
In 2023, she earned her sixth and final star for the World Marathon Majors and completed her 200th marathon at the Tokyo Marathon. This versatile runner has also completed ten JFK 50-Milers and has qualified for five Boston Marathons and completed three Bostons. She's currently pursuing the CES Five-Island Challenge and is also featured in the documentary, We ARE Distance Runners: Untold Stories of African American Athletes.
HALL OF FAME DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE We ARE Distance Runners: Untold Stories of African American Athletes will have its premiere at the hall of fame and achievement awards event. The related film shorts have been selected by thirteen film festivals in the US, Canada, Sweden, and India and received fifteen awards, including
Best Documentary
Best Biographical Film
Best Short Historical Film
Best Short Social Message Films
Best Human-Interest Story
Best Interview Format, Talk Show, or Podcast
The interviewees include National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame inductees Lisa Davis (2024), Dick Gregory, Ronald Gregory, and Anthony "Tony" Reed (2017) from St. Louis and Alphonzo "Coach Al" Jackson and Lisa "Coach Mama Lisa" Felder (2015) from Oakland.
https://youtu.be/wiebkI5-olw
About National Black Marathoners' Association: The National Black Marathoners Association (NBMA) is the USA's largest, not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to encouraging Black Americans and others to pursue a healthy lifestyle through running and walking. It is open to everyone, regardless of their athletic ability or previous marathon experience.
Account Phone Number