Which wrestler was WWE's first African-American WWE Champion?

The Rock was WWE's first African-American WWE Champion, winning the title at Survivor Series 1998.

He defeated Mankind in the tournament final at Survivor Series on November 15, 1998, at Kiel Center in St. Louis. The tournament had been created after the WWF Championship was vacated, and The Rock's victory marked his first reign with the company's top championship.

The Rock, born Dwayne Johnson, was the son of Rocky Johnson, who became the first Black Georgia World Tag Team Champion with Tony Atlas in 1983. The younger Johnson's WWE championship victory came only a few years after his debut and helped establish him as one of the promotion's central stars.

This fact is sometimes confused with Kofi Kingston's status as the first African-born WWE Champion. Kingston was the first Ghanaian-born champion, while The Rock is generally credited with the African-American distinction.