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Gold Medal Gymnast Gabby Douglas Donating Items To Smithsonian

By: Elliott Francis // January 30, 2013
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Gabrielle Douglas was the first African American woman to win the individual all-around competition.
David Jones: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidcjones/7738534028/
Gabrielle Douglas was the first African American woman to win the individual all-around competition.

Olympic gymnast Gabrielle Douglas is donating personal items to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The Virginia Beach, Va., native is giving the museum the leotard she wore during her first competitive season in 2003. She's also giving the wrist tape and uneven bar grips she used in the 2012 Olympics, as well as her mother's ticket to the games, personal photos and her Olympic credentials, according to the Associated Press.

Douglas won Olympic gold at the age of 16 in last year's London games. She is the first African American woman to win gold in the individual all-around competition.

The items go on display Friday at the National Museum of American History. The black history museum is slated to open in 2015.

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