The Untold Story of Dolphus Stroud

Kelley Dolphus Stroud was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a man of African, Native American, and European descent. A gifted scholar and athlete, he earned his place at the 1928 Olympic 5,000-meter trials in Boston through sheer talent and determination.

But when the time came to travel east for the trials, Stroud was denied the funding that would have carried him there. Rather than accept defeat, he made a decision that would define his legacy: he would walk.

Along the way, Stroud wrote letters home to his family — to his Aunt Jennie, his sister Effie, and his brother Tandy. These letters, preserved through generations, paint a vivid picture of his journey: the kindness of strangers, the cruelty of Jim Crow, the loneliness of the open road, and the unwavering belief that he belonged on that starting line.

Stroud arrived in Boston on time for the trials. But the journey had taken its toll. Ravaged by malnutrition and exhaustion, he finished last in the race. Yet the very fact that he stood on that line — that he refused to let injustice rob him of his moment — speaks louder than any medal.

His story was nearly lost to history until family descendant Frank Shines began the work of bringing it to light. Now, in partnership with the International Brazilian Opera Company(IBOC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, this forgotten chapter of American history is being transformed into an opera that honors Stroud's courage, his family, and the broader struggle of Black athletes and scholars in America.

Race, the Operais set to premiere in Colorado Springs — the very city where Stroud began his extraordinary walk.