Celebrating the Birthday of Tennis Trailblazer, Althea Gibson

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When we examine our diverse gifts and talents, we have the ability and responsibility to use those gifts in a constructive and edifying manner. As we celebrate what would have been Althea Gibson's 87th birthday, I was amazed by her commitment and persistence to follow her dreams during a tumultuous time in our nation, where heightened racial tension was the norm.

Althea Gibson was an athletic pioneer and trailblazer crossing color barriers in golf and most notably tennis. She was born on August 25, 1927 and died on September 28, 2003. Gibson was born in Clarendon County, South Carolina. She became the first person of color to win a Grand Slam title (The French Open) in 1956. The next year she won the U.S. Nationals and Wimbledon. She won both titles again in 1958 and was voted Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press. Gipson won 11 Grand Slam Tournaments and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, as well as The International Women's Sports Hall of Fame. 

According to Wikipedia.org, in 1964, at the age of 37, Althea Gibson became the first African-American woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour. Racial discrimination continued to be a problem: Many hotels still excluded people of color, and country club officials throughout the south—and some in the north—routinely refused to allow her to compete. When she did compete, she was often forced to dress for tournaments in her car because she was banned from the clubhouse. Although she was one of the LPGA's top 50 money winners for five years, and won a car at a Dinah Shore tournament, her lifetime golf earnings never exceeded $25,000.

Althea Gibson succeeded against all odds, like so many other athletes, actors, actresses, musicians and other entertainers who made a monumental mark in history, regardless of their race or gender. In her second memoir, So Much to Live For, she addressed the challenges she faced with her professional opportunities and endorsements, as well as the various obstacles that tried to cripple her over the years.

We are so grateful for Althea Gibson's trailblazing achievements, which paved many paths for athletes facing similar challenges who made historical feats.