Ice Breaker: How Mabel Fairbanks Changed Figure Skating

RISE: A Feminist Book Project 2021 List, Early Readers Non-Fiction

Mabel Fairbanks didn’t let segregation stop her from skating.

In the 1930s, only white figure skaters were allowed in public ice rinks and to compete for gold medals, but Mabel Fairbanks wouldn’t let that stop her. With skates two sizes too big and a heart full of dreams, Mabel beat the odds and broke down color barriers through sheer determination and athletic skill. Mabel became the first African-American woman to be inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

Rose Viña is a Cuban-American writer originally from California. Rose was a competitive figure skater for more than 20 years and now serves as the head figure skating coach in Sweden. Claire Almon is an illustrator who also works in character design in animation.