While the sport of competitive rowing dates back several centuries, in the United States its history is much shorter. The first competitive rowing events in the United States took place as a form of entertainment and wagering among eastern ferrymen. Soon, rowing became a favorite pastime of the wealthy during the Gilded Age, and boat clubs were formed along the Eastern Seaboard. In 1852, the first collegiate rowing competition was held between Harvard and Yale, leading other Ivy League colleges and other schools in New England to form teams and compete. By 1900, when rowing became an official Olympic event at the Games of the II Olympiad, a governing body for collegiate rowing had been established and an annual regatta took place.

Because rowing had gained such popularity among elites in the late 19th century and because it became a favored sport for Ivy League students, it quickly developed a reputation as a sport primarily for the affluent. That reputation still exists today as rowing sees its greatest participation levels among youth at private high schools. In his memoir, A Most Beautiful Thing, author Arshay Cooper addresses this socioeconomic aspect of rowing as he tells the story of the formation of America’s first all-African American public school crew team.