Althea Gibson was an American tennis player and professional golfer, who was, incidentally, the first African-American to cross the color line in international tennis as well as being the first African-American woman to play on women’s professional golf tours. Often called the Jackie Robinson for her gender and sport(s), Althea Gibson, in spite of her tremendous accomplishments, always remained a gracious and modest woman. Born in South Carolina and raised in Harlem, Althea showed an affinity for sports early on, and with the help of mentors, forged her way into any number of “firsts†for her race and her sex. She was the first black Wimbledon champion, the first African-American athlete to win a Grand Slam event, and the first black woman to appear on the covers of Sports Illustrated and Time. At the age of thirty-seven, she became the first black woman to join the LPGA. In addition to her prowess in sports, Althea also sang professionally, appeared in a movie, wrote her memoirs, taught, ran for public office and spoke on innumerable occasions. All of this fame brought little fortune, however, and Althea Gibson was actually considering suicide in her later years, when she was sick and living on welfare (a former tennis partner came to her rescue). No less a luminary than Venus Williams says it all: “I am honored to have followed in such great footsteps…her legacy will live onâ€.
