Roland Blackman served in the Army Signal Corp outside Nuremberg, Germany, possibly in Augsburg. From New Orleans, Roland never competed in athletics prior to joining the Army. In 1951, Blackman won the 400-meter hurdles in Rome in an allied service meet. He placed third in the Olympic Tryouts to qualify for the team at the end of June 1952. In the Helsinki Olympics, a third-place finish in the first round eliminated Blackman from competition.

Thane Baker recalls an event from a 1952 Vienna, Austria, track meet held in August 1952. Wes Santee had trouble removing his shoes. Out of kindness, Roland Blackmon, the 400-meter hurdler, knelt in front of him and helped Santee take them off. The shutter of a camera clicked. Blackman raged against the photographer. Blackman had been happy to help his teammate in need, but as a man of color, he did not want a picture published of himself genuflecting before a white man. Thane believes the photographer did not print the snapshot.

Blackman had to report back for duty in Germany with the United States European Command after his athletic exploits.

Interestingly, Roland’s signature looks like Blackmon, but all the records list him as Blackman.

Paul Zimmerman, “Makes Plans after Olympics: American Javelin Thrower Held Looks Ahead to Missionary Work; Soft Track,” Los Angeles Times, July 19, 1952, https://www.newspapers.com, “Roland Blackman Biography,” International Olympic Committee, accessed March 8, 2024, https://olympics.com/en/athletes/roland-blackman.