Althea Gibson
Source: Wikipedia: Althea Gibson
Sports & Athletics • Historical Archive • 🇺🇸 United States • 8 views

Althea Gibson 🇺🇸

Althea Gibson (Known as "Althea Gibson")
["tennis player", "golfer", "civil rights pioneer"]
Born Aug 25, 1927 🇺🇸 Clarendon County, South Carolina, United States
Passed Away Sep 28, 2003 East Orange, New Jersey, United States
Lifespan 76 years old
8 views
Notice / Correction
"I always wanted to be somebody. If I made it, it's half because I was game enough to take a lot of punishment along the way."

Archival Overview

American tennis player and professional golfer, the first African American to win a Grand Slam title and cross the color line of international tennis.

Biographical Record

Althea Gibson (1927–2003) was a trailblazing American athletic pioneer who shattered racial barriers in elite sports. In 1956, she became the first African American player to win a Grand Slam title by capturing the French Championships at Roland-Garros.

Gibson followed with back-to-back singles titles at both Wimbledon and the US Nationals in 1957 and 1958, winning 11 Grand Slam titles across singles and doubles. Later, in 1964, Gibson broke barriers again by becoming the first Black woman to compete on the LPGA golf tour.

Key Life Milestones

May 26, 1956

First African American Grand Slam Champion

Defeated Angela Mortimer to win the French Championships at Roland-Garros, breaking tennis's racial ceiling.

July 6, 1957

Historic Wimbledon Singles Title

Defeated Darlene Hard in straight sets to become the first Black player in history to win the Wimbledon singles championship.

Memorial Guestbook & Tributes

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Final Resting Place

Perpetual Memorial
Rosedale Cemetery
Orange, New Jersey, United States
GPS: 40.7850, -74.2372
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