Althea
Althea Gibson&#;s life and achievements transcended sports and are part of the annals of African American history. From her roots as a sharecropper’s daughter in the cotton fields of South Carolina, to her emergence as the unlikely queen of the highly segregated tennis world in the s, her story is a complex tale of race, class and gender.
People often cite Arthur Ashe as the first African American to win Wimbledon (). He was indeed the first African American male to win the men’s singles title, but it was, in fact, Althea Gibson, who was the first African American to cross the color line playing and winning at Wimbledon ( and ) and at the U.S. Nationals ( and – precursor of the U.S. Open).
Gibson was born in Silver, South Carolina on August 25, At the age of three, her father moved the family north migrating to Harlem in Gibson was a tomboy who grew up loving sports, but disliked school so much that she started skipping classes at the age of 12 and, by 18, had dropped out of high school. She played basketball, but “…paddle tennis started it all,” says Gibson, in a clip from a interview.
She learned to play that sport on the streets, but it was bandleader Buddy Walker,
How Althea Gibson Broke the Color Barrier in Tennis
On August 28, , a year-old Althea Gibson set foot on one of the outer courts of the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, Queens, home of the U.S. National Championships.
It wasn't the first time a Black player was competing in an event sanctioned by the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA) — that honor technically went to Reginald Weir at the Eastern Indoor Tournament.
But it marked the first time a Black player was allowed to compete against the top players in the sport at one of its premier championships, and Gibson was about to show the white tennis world what it had been missing for all these years.
Gibson was introduced to tennis as a troubled but athletic teenager
Gibson was born on August 25, , in the small town of Silver, South Carolina, but knew virtually nothing of her father's sharecropping life after moving to New York City's Harlem approximately three years later.
As she confessed in her autobiography, I Always Wanted to Be Somebody, Gibson was a "wild, arrogant girl" who hated school and was more than capable of defending herself with her fists.
She was also a superb athlete, and
Althea Gibson
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Who Was Althea Gibson?
Althea Gibson developed a love of tennis at an early age, but in the s and '50s, most tournaments were closed to African Americans. Gibson kept playing (and winning) until her skills could no longer be denied, and in , she became the first African American to play at Wimbledon. Gibson won the women's singles and doubles at Wimbledon in and won the U.S. Open in
Early Life and Career
Althea Neale Gibson was born on August 25, , in Silver, South Carolina. Gibson blazed a new trail in the sport of tennis, winning some of the sport's biggest titles in the s, and broke racial barriers in professional golf as well.
At a young age, Gibson moved with her family to Harlem, a neighborhood in the borough of New York City. Gibson's life at this time had its hardships. Her family struggled to make ends meet, living on public assistance for a time, and Gibson struggled in the classroom, often skipping school altogether. However, Gibson loved to play sports — especially paddle tennis — and she soon made a name for herself as a local paddle tennis champion. Her skills were eventually noticed by musician Buddy Walker, who invited her to play tenn
Table of Contents
Who Was Althea Gibson?
Althea Gibson was a pioneering African American tennis player who broke racial barriers and became one of the sport&#;s most celebrated champions. Developing a passion for tennis at an early age, Gibson faced significant obstacles due to the racial segregation of the sport during the s and s, when many major tournaments were closed to African Americans. Despite these challenges, she persevered, honing her skills and ultimately becoming the first African American to compete at Wimbledon in Her breakthrough moment came in when she won both the women’s singles and doubles titles at Wimbledon, followed by her victory at the U.S. Open in
Early Life and Career
Althea Neale Gibson was born on August 25, , in Silver, South Carolina. Raised in Harlem, New York, Gibson’s early life was marked by economic hardship, with her family relying on public assistance at times. She struggled academically and was often absent from school, but found solace and joy in sports, particularly paddle tennis. Gibson quickly gained recognition as a local paddle tennis champion, a talent that was eventually noticed by musician Buddy Walker, who encouraged her
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