Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson (born August 25, 1927 in Silver , South Carolina , † September 28, 2003 in East Orange , New Jersey ) was an American tennis player .
Career
Gibson was born in Silver, Clarendon County , South Carolina. Her parents were farm workers who suffered economically from the Great Depression and relocated to Harlem , New York City . She was the first black player to win the French Open , the US Open and Wimbledon . She won the French Open at Roland Garros Stadium in 1956. In 1957 and 1958 she was twice victorious at Wimbledon and at the US Open in Forest Hills . She also won several doubles titles, so that she came to a total of eleven Grand Slam titles. In 1958 she ended her active career. In 1959 she wrote her autobiography, recorded a record as a singer, and appeared as an actress in the western The Last Orders by John Ford .
Gibson was honored with the Associated Press' Athlete of the Year award twice, in 1957 and 1958 . In 1964, at the age of 37, Gibson became the first African-American professional golfer on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour . She took part in the tour of the LPGA. The racial discrimination in the United States meant that she was referred on occasion from hotels, golf club owners both in the South and in the rest of the US it refused to participate and she had to move occasionally in her car because she was not allowed to enter dressing rooms.
Web links
- ITF profile of Althea Gibson (English)
- Althea Gibson in the "International Tennis Hall of Fame" (English; with picture)
- Althea Gibson in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Gibson, Althea |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American tennis player |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 25, 1927 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Silver , South Carolina , United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 28, 2003 |
| Place of death | East Orange , New Jersey , United States |