For some sports fans today the name Althea Gibson may not ring any bells. However, many tennis enthusiasts will either remember or know the contribution the five foot 10 and a half inch right handed pioneer made to the tennis world and women’s golf. During a trying time in our nation and world’s history she was truly a wonderful ambassador when being the first was not easy. So when Althea Gibson became the first Black tennis athlete of either gender to break the color barrier and play in national and international tournament tennis five decades ago it was nothing short of remarkable. It was monumental not because of her natural athletic skills, great foot speed and incredible reach for court coverage which created a powerful serve and an intense volley player but because of the societal barriers concerning race and gender discriminations and limitations. A woman of many firsts, this early trailblazer of women’s sports set a high standard for many black and female athletes today.

For us to really appreciate and enjoy the successes of today’s tennis and golf stars of color we must understand and remember the tremendous foundation she laid for them and future generations of tennis and golf stars through her efforts. In order for us to understand this history and continue to accomplish new firsts we must look back at her humble beginning. Althea was the first born child of five for Daniel and Annie Gibson in 1927. They were sharecroppers on a cotton farm in Silver, South Carolina. When Althea was three years old they move to Harlem, New York just at the start of the depression. It was a hard time for people and an even harder time for people of color. As a child Althea participated in tournaments sponsored by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and the Police Athletic League. She loved table tennis and won may tournaments.

A musician Buddy Walker, who worked there in the summer time, noticed her natural abilities and how adept she played table tennis. He introduced her to tennis at the Harlem River Tennis Courts. She received her first tennis lesson at age 14. Doctors Walter Johnson of Virginia and Hubert Eaton of North Carolina, both very interested and involved in tennis took her under their wings. She moved to Wilmington, North Carolina for tennis training and academic mentoring. During the school year, she stayed with Dr. Eaton and his family. During the summer, she stayed with Dr. Johnson and his family and participated in tournaments.

She won 10 consecutive national championships arranged by the American Tennis Association—an all Black organization that coordinated such tournaments for Black tennis athletes and fans. At age 26, she entered college on a tennis and basketball scholarship. She even pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha, a sorority with many successful Black women like Maya Angelou and Alice Walker. In 1953, Althea realized her dream and graduated from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. After graduation, she moved to Jefferson City, Missouri to take a job as an athletics instructor at Lincoln University.

In 1955 and 1956, she traveled throughout Southeast Asia on a United States state department sponsored goodwill tennis tour. She was the only Black on the tour. In was not until Alice Marble a tennis player and a four time singles winner at Forest Hills wrote an article in American Lawn Tennis Magazine about why Althea had been excluded from the national tournament due to what she perceived to be bigotry on the part of her fellow tennis athletes did Althea receive an invitation to a national tournament. This began the journey of Althea’s rise toward her destiny—from being banned for the public courts and hotels to her 11 major wins.

Althea became the first Black tennis athlete to play and win at what became the French Open in 1956 and at Wimbledon and the US Open at Forest Hills in 1957. She again won both Wimbledon and the US Open in 1958. She won several doubles championships as well. During her amateur career she won 56 singles and doubles titles. She was also racked number one. In 1957, she was the first Black voted by the Associated Press as Female Athlete of the Year. She was again awarded this honor the following year. In 1957, after winning two consecutive singles championships she returned home to New York City and was honored with a ticker tape parade and an official welcome to City Hall by Mayor Wagner. In 1957 and 1958 she was selected to represent the United States as part of the Wrightman Cup Team of women tennis athletes to play versus their British counterparts.

There were no endorsement deals, appearances on situation comedies, opportunities to present awards, morning talk show appearances, and professional tours for women or prize monies except expense allowances during Lady Althea’s time in the tennis world. When she won Wimbledon she received no money. Some 50 years later at this year’s Wimbledon Venus Williams won 1.4 million dollars. The same amount as the men’s singles champion won. What a change 50 years has made although there is still room to grow in terms of diversity in tennis. After her second US Open championship win she turned professional. Althea then toured with the Harlem Globetrotters. She would play tennis before their game and at half time. Just think how far she would have gone if she came along a little later but someone always has to be the first. Today’s tennis and golf stars of color bring honor to her name and sacrifice when ever they excel and triumph while remaining upstanding citizens.

When she retired in 1958 she wrote her autobiography “I Always Wanted to be Somebody” and later in 1968 she wrote another memoir called “So Much to Live For”. She also recorded an album “Althea Gibson Sings”. The multi- faceted and talented Lady Althea also played the saxophone. From 1958 through 1959, she was in three episodes of “Toast of the Town” also known as “The Ed Sullivan Show” she was also in “What’s My Line?” as a mystery guest. In 1959, she appeared in a movie starring John Wayne called “The Horse Soldiers”. In 1959, she was in one episode of “This is your Life” and “Lowell Thomas”. In 1966, she was in one episode of “Thirty- Minute Theatre” and “Play to Win”. In 1992, she was in “The Player”. In 1997, she was in “The Fifties” and in 1996 she was in “The Journey of the African- American Athlete”.

She turned to golf as her competitive juices were not yet quenched at the end of her tennis career. She became the first Black female athlete to earn a Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) card. She competed in several US Women’s Open. She won one tournament and was even rank number three. Althea was known for hitting the ball far, once she hit her golf ball some 325 yards. She worked as a tennis teaching professional after she stopped competing in tennis and golf.

In 1971, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. In 1975, she was appointed as New Jersey’s State Commissioner of Athletics. She held this post for ten years. Lady Althea served on the State’s Athletics Control Board until 1988 and on the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness until 1992. She was laid off from the Council. This marked a change in her fortunes as it was also the same year she suffered a stroke. She suffered another stroke in 1995. Althea told her longtime friend and former doubles partner Angela Buxton about her financial distress living on social security. Unbeknownst to Althea, Angela arranged to have a letter appear in a tennis magazine. Suddenly her mailbox was filled with monetary tokens of appreciation. In 1998, The Althea Gibson Cup was started. This a tennis circuit dedicated to those 70 years young and up that play. In 2003, Althea suffered a heart attack.

On Sunday, September 28, 2003, Althea Gibson died at the age of 76 years old in East Orange General Hospital, in East Orange, New Jersey due to respiratory failure. She was interred in Rosedale Cemetery in Orange, New Jersey. Finally and posthumously 50 years after her historic win at the US. Open (Forest Hills), Lady Althea Gibson will be inducted into the US Open Court of Champions based on the results of an international media vote during an August 27th evening ceremony. Although she was inducted in and honored by a variety of groups this is huge. This is about the United States Tennis Association finally giving respect to someone who deserved and earned their recognition. What will be especially grand about this tribute is there will be several African- American women who were first in their respective occupation, trade and sport on hand to help honor this sport legend. Know your history so that you can learn from its mistakes and do not repeat them. Remember your history so that you can know and appreciate where you come from and you can teach future generations about their history. Improve upon your history so that you can build better tomorrows. Never be afraid to go where there is no path paved—trail blaze.