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Althea was born in South Carolina to a poor family of five. Her family were sharecroppers. She quickly learned to love all sports, from tennis to golf.
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Althea hated school; she was an outdoor person.
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Althea moved with her family to Harlem,NY. She was brought up in a tough neighborhood and was constantly picking fights with people around the area. This is where she found her knack for tennis.
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Althea Gibson is introduced to tennis at the Harlem River Tennis Club. Soon, she is introduced into the Cosmopolitan Tennis Club. In a year, she wins a local black tournament at the tennis club.
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From 1947 to 1956, Althea won ten ATA (American Tennis Association) tounaments, only losing one of them she enlisted for. The ATA was a black tennis organization, giving blacks a chance to play.
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Althea Gibson was the No.7 in the list of the top ten American tennis players in 1953. Although she was this high up in the ranks, people didn't really accept her in the tennis world because she was dark-skinned.
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French Open Documentary In 1956, she won the French Oen, one of her biggest achievements of her whole life. Many people's eyes had been yanked open by the outstanding talent this lady had.
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Wimbledon
She won Wimbledon in 1957 and was deemed the "world champion" at tennis. She was the first African-American winner in the whole history of Wimbledon itself- 80years! She was graciously given the trophy from Queen Elizabeth II. -
She was awarded a Thicker Tape award and a bronze award, which is one of the highest honors a person could get. She was very happy to be the winner of this U.S tournament to prove that blacks can put up a fight with their white counterparts.
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By the end of 1958, Gibson had accumulated 56 total tites, in both doubles and singles. She had traveled the world, including places like India, Burma and France. She had won a total of 11 Grand Slam matches! She had played against some of the world's best players - and won!
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She was awarded $100,000 for an exhibition match in front of the Harlem Globetrotters. Finally, she started earning some money. ***In the middle-half of the year (before the Pepsi World Pro)
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Gibson signed up for the Pepsi Cola World Pro. Sadly, she earned a meager $500 from winning. Although all of her wins, she was still very poor. ***Sometime in the later part of the year
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Althea tried out golf and played on the LPGA Tour of 1964. She was badly discriminated and wasn't even allowed to use the lockers to change into her clothes. Although she was known for her great skill in tennis, she was a great golfer and many pros were apalled at her sheer skill.
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Althea was inducted into the Hall of Fame after her grand legacy of her tennis victories She retired in 1968, but never lost her love toward all types of sports. *sometime in 1971, Althea was inducted
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After 76 years, Gibson died of a respiratory issue due to a heart condition and a stroke. For the last few years of her life, she was just as poor as in the beginning of her life. Her name shall never be forgotten from the game of tennis, as her legacy continues. She now is even a hero and one of the best tennis players who had ever laid foot on Earth.
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The tennis courts in North Carolina, Empire Park were named after the legendary Althea Gibson.
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"Althea Gibson." Althea Gibson | International Tennis Hall of Fame. International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
"Althea Gibson Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
"Althea Gibson." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
Botsch, Carol S. "Althea Gibson." Althea Gibson. USC Aiken, 25 Aug. 2004. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Althea Gibson (American Tennis Player)." Ency
