You’ve probably heard of the Fabulous Moolah. Maybe you’ve seen the documentaries or read the messy Twitter threads about the "golden age" of women’s wrestling. But there is a name that often gets buried under the glitz and the scandals, even though she was arguably one of the most important figures to ever lace up a pair of boots.
Sweet Georgia Brown. Her real name was Susie Mae McCoy. She wasn’t just a wrestler; she was a pioneer who broke through a thick wall of racial and gender bias in the 1950s and 60s. Honestly, calling her a trailblazer feels like an understatement. She was the first Black woman to ever win a professional wrestling title. Think about the era for a second. 1963. The Civil Rights Movement was in full swing, and here was a Black woman from South Carolina holding a championship belt in a sport that was—and largely still is—dominated by white men.
Who Was Susie Mae McCoy?
Born on December 22, 1938, in Cayce, South Carolina, Susie was the oldest of twelve children. Life wasn't exactly easy. She left home in 1957, driven by a need to provide for her family and a desire to do something nobody thought she could. She landed in the orbit of the Fabulous Moolah (Mary Lillian Ellison) and Buddy Lee. That was the ticket in. Back then, if you wanted to be a woman in wrestling, you basically had to go through Moolah's "finishing school" in Columbia, South Carolina.
Susie debuted in 1958. She didn't just walk into the ring; she transformed. Under the name Sweet Georgia Brown, she became a powerhouse. Sometimes she was billed as the "African Lioness" or "Black Orchid." She was 5'7", lean, and athletic, moving with a grace that most of her peers couldn't touch.
That Historic 1963 Night in Texas
The date most wrestling historians circle is October 21, 1963. Sweet Georgia Brown stepped into the ring in Texas to face Nell Stewart. Stewart was a veteran, a tough-as-nails white wrestler who had held the NWA Texas Women’s Championship.
Brown won.
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In that moment, she didn't just win a match. She became the first African-American woman to hold a recognized wrestling title. It was a massive deal, even if the mainstream papers weren't covering it like they would today. She toured everywhere after that—Florida, Calgary, Hawaii, and the Mid-Atlantic. She was a legit draw.
The Dark Side of the Ring
If you’ve watched Dark Side of the Ring on Vice, you know things weren't all trophies and cheers. The episode covering The Fabulous Moolah paints a pretty grim picture of what life was like for the women in her camp.
Susie’s own family has been split on the details for years, which adds a layer of modern tragedy to her story. Her daughter, Barbara, came forward in 2006 with some harrowing allegations. She claimed her mother told her that she was frequently drugged, raped, and essentially "pimped out" to promoters by Moolah and Buddy Lee to keep her under control.
"I felt like a slave and I was treated as one," is a sentiment echoed by several women from that era who felt Moolah’s "30% booking fee" was just the tip of the iceberg of exploitation.
However, her son Michael McCoy has pushed back on some of those claims. He’s been vocal about wanting to protect her legacy, though even he admitted in the Dark Side episode that the "promoter favors" were a reality of the business back then. It’s a messy, painful part of wrestling history that makes Susie’s achievements feel even more miraculous—she was fighting a war inside the locker room while fighting opponents in the ring.
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Why the Name "Sweet Georgia Brown" Confuses People
If you’re a 90s wrestling fan, you might be scratching your head. "Wait, wasn't Sweet Georgia Brown in Memphis?"
Yeah, this is where it gets tricky.
There were actually two performers who used the name. The original was Susie Mae McCoy. But in the early 90s, the legendary Jacqueline Moore (who later became a WWE Hall of Famer) started her career in Dallas using the name Sweet Georgia Brown.
There was also a valet/wrestler in the Memphis-based USWA in 1995 who used the name and feuded with "Miss Texas" (Jacqueline). It’s a classic wrestling trope—recycling names. But make no mistake, the original Susie Mae McCoy is the one who broke the color barrier.
The Quiet Retirement and Early Passing
Susie retired in 1972. She was only in her early 30s, but she had seen enough. She went back to South Carolina to focus on her five children: Kenny, Barbara, David, Gloria, and Michael.
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She lived a relatively quiet life after that, far away from the bright lights of the arenas. Sadly, she didn't get to see the modern "Women’s Evolution" in wrestling. Susie died on July 25, 1989, at the age of 50. The cause was breast cancer.
She was gone before the internet could give her the flowers she deserved.
Actionable Insights: Preserving the Legacy
Knowing the story is one thing, but making sure it doesn't vanish is another. If you're a fan of wrestling history or Black history, here is how you can actually engage with this legacy:
- Watch the Source Material: Track down the Dark Side of the Ring episode "The Fabulous Moolah" (Season 1, Episode 6). It features interviews with her son and provides the most comprehensive look at the environment she survived.
- Support Current Trailblazers: Modern stars like Bianca Belair and Naomi have often spoken about the importance of those who came before them. Supporting Black women in wrestling today is a direct way to honor the path Susie Mae McCoy cleared.
- Fact-Check the Records: When you see "firsts" in wrestling history, remember that the NWA and other territories often didn't keep perfect records of Black wrestlers. Sharing Susie’s 1963 title win helps correct the "official" narrative that often starts much later.
- Local History: If you're near Columbia, SC, look into the local athletic commissions or archives. Much of Susie's career was centered in the South, and there are still old-timers and family members who keep her memory alive.
Susie Mae McCoy lived a life of incredible highs and devastating lows. She was a mother, a champion, and a survivor. The name Sweet Georgia Brown should be spoken with the same reverence as the all-time greats. She didn't just play the game; she changed the rules when the world told her she wasn't even allowed on the field.
Next Steps for Research:
You can look into the NWA Texas Women’s Championship history to see the lineage of wrestlers Susie competed against, or explore the South Carolina Senate Resolution no. 1442, which was introduced to honor her contributions to the state's athletic history.