However, when it comes to Black figure skaters, many vendors throughout Europe don’t carry tights available in darker shades — forcing skaters to bring their own or even dye what is available.

Baker is the only Black skater training at his rink in New Jersey. From formal gatekeeping to high barriers to entry, the sport has a long history of excluding Black figure skaters.

Former French Olympic figure skater Maé-Bérénice Méité, who is Black, gave James a shoutout over Instagram ahead of the first day of the figure skating team competition in Beijing last week.

Black athletes in the U.S. were never barred from competing in figure skating, but Jim Crow laws that persisted into the 1960s restricted access to the sport.

Black athletes in the U.S. were never barred from competing in figure skating, but Jim Crow laws that persisted into the 1960s restricted access to the sport.

Black athletes in the U.S. were never barred from competing in figure skating, but Jim Crow laws that persisted into the 1960s restricted access to the sport.

Black athletes in the U.S. were never barred from competing in figure skating, but Jim Crow laws that persisted into the 1960s restricted access to the sport.

Black athletes in the U.S. were never barred from competing in figure skating, but Jim Crow laws that persisted into the 1960s restricted access to the sport.

Black athletes in the U.S. were never barred from competing in figure skating, but Jim Crow laws that persisted into the 1960s restricted access to the sport.

Black athletes in the U.S. were never barred from competing in figure skating, but Jim Crow laws that persisted into the 1960s restricted access to the sport.