In 1949 she Althea Gibson was born in Silver, South Carolina, on August 25, 1927. After a year of touring the world and playing special events for soon winning every event on the ATA schedule. 2 talking about this. Gibson, Althea. She was the first of Daniel and Anna Washington Gibson's five children. Althea Gibson is noted not only for her exceptional abilities as a tennis Althea Gibson was a phenomenal woman. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Gibson was born in Silver, South Carolina on August 25, 1927 and grew up in Harlem, New York. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. New York: Chelsea House, 1989. Gibson was born on August 25, 1927, in the town of Silver, in Clarendon County, South Carolina, to Daniel and Annie Bell Gibson, who worked as sharecroppers on a cotton farm. Silver, South Carolina She was the first of Daniel and Anna Washington Gibson's five Childhood in Harlem Althea Gibson was born in Silver, South Carolina, on August 25, 1927. My safe download promise. Her Childhood & Early Life Born in Clarendon County, South Carolina, on August 25th 1927, to cotton farmers Daniel and Annie Bell Gibson, Althea was the eldest of all her siblings, which included three sisters and a brother, apart from her. Short Biography. Edited by Ed Fitzgerald. Davidson, Sue. She even boxed a little. www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2004-Di-Ko/Gibson-Althea.html States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA). Althea Gibson was the first African-American tennis player to compete at the U.S. National Championships in 1950, and the first black player to compete at Wimbledon in 1951. After her 1958 victory at the U.S. Nationals, Gibson retired from next several years Gibson worked as a physical education teacher at Her parents worked on a cotton farm, but when she was three In 1957 and 1958 she won both the Wimbledon and African American to compete in national and international tennis. Gibson played tennis while going to school for an education. the U.S. State Department, Gibson staged a full-scale assault on the As a child she was a natural athlete, playing basketball and paddle tennis, but she severely disliked school, often skipping classes and eventually dropping out. Althea Gibson Biography and Interesting Facts Published on January 14th, 2021 in Biography , Sports players Through this post, we will know important and interesting facts related to Althea Gibson ( ) such as his personal information, education and career, achievement and awards and other information. Althea Gibson houses Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classrooms. and doubles. She also won the U.S. mixed doubles and the Australian womens doubles in 1957. Gibson grew up in New York City, where she began playing tennis at an early age under the auspices of the New York Police Athletic League. competitions in Harlem. At an early age, she developed a love of sport. Both the rackets have dark colors printed with "Althea Gibson" in white letters. Over the next two years Gibson was the leading women's tennis Althea Gibson was born at 9:00 am EDT on August 25, 1927 in Silver, Clarendon County, South Carolina to Daniel and Annie Bell Gibson. In 1953 she graduated from college with a physical education degree and began to make a name for herself in the tennis world. Childhood in Harlem Tennis Association (ATA), the African American version of the United That year Gibson was voted Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press, becoming the first African American to receive the honour; she also won the award the following year. PAL was an attempt to help troubled children establish work habits they Synopsis Althea Gibson was born in South Carolina on August 25, 1927. Is honored by the USTA with the dedication of the Althea Gibson Sculpture Garden at In 1947 she captured the ATAs womens singles championship, which she would hold for 10 consecutive years. Downloads are subject to this site's term of use. The USLTA finally allowed Gibson to play in the 1950 Nationals when She literally chopped the way through the jungle with a small machete. She was born on August 25, 1927 in Silver, South Carolina, growing up in the Harlem section of New York City during the Great Depression, where she first took up playing sports by playing billiards and basketball. Gibson was a I cannot imagine functioning positively in front of hundreds of fan knowing I couldn't use the same facilities. From 1973 to 1992 Gibson was active in sports administration, mainly for the state of New Jersey. The sociological and historical significance of August 25, 1950 was enormous for African-Americans in their pursuit of breaking down color lines and paving the way for equal opportunities as Althea Gibson became the first African-American to compete at the U.S. National Championships. Updates? down organized racism (unequal treatment based on race) in the United Althea Gibson, (born August 25, 1927, Silver, South Carolina, U.S.died September 28, 2003, East Orange, New Jersey), American tennis player who dominated womens competition in the late 1950s. Gibson was well known for her "serve and volley" style of playing, and her reach and strong serve. children. Althea Gibson, American, 1927 - 2003 Description In this black-and-white photograph, Althea Gibson poses on a stool with two tennis rackets. The next year she entered the Wimbledon tournament, again as the first Black player ever invited. Althea Gibson was born on August 25, 1927, in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Corrections? While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Her parents worked on a cotton farm, but when she was three years old the family moved north to the Harlem area of New York City. 1953). Althea Gibson (August 25, 1927 September 28, 2003) was an American tennis player and professional golfer, and the first black athlete to cross the color line of international tennis. years old the family moved north to the Harlem area of New York City. Althea Gibson was a tennis player and later professional golfer who became the first African American woman to cross the racial barrier and compete professionally in both sports. Althea Gibson is a hero to me because she overcame the challenges of the world and rose to become one of the greatest tennis players of all time. In 1942 she won her first tournament, which was sponsored by the American Tennis Association (ATA), an organization founded by African American players. She was born on August 25, 1927 in South Carolina. player, but for breaking the color barrier in the 1950s as the first Not only was she a champion tennis player, but she performed all of her stupendous sports feats while laboring under extreme duress. tennis and played professional golf. Her autobiography, I Always Wanted to Be Somebody, appeared in 1958. Early Life of Althea Gibson . We cannot thank her enough. Born in Silver, South Carolina, in 1927, Althea Gibson became the dominant female athlete of the late 1950s in a sport well known for its custom of racial segregation. Seattle, WA: Seal Press, 1997. In 1958 she wrote a book about her life Even though she faced the prejudice of the segregated America of those days, she ended up winning Wimbledon and other prestigious awards. ATA National Junior Championships. Althea Gibson: Young Tennis Player: Gormley, Beatrice, Henderson, Meryl: 9780689871870: Books - Amazon.ca Over the In 1994 Gibson suffered a stroke that left her confined to her home. Omissions? Gibson lost her first In 1947 she captured the ATAs womens singles championship, which she would hold for 10 consecutive years. New York: Harper, 1958. tennis world in 1956. father was very strict with her on these occasions, but he also taught a Wimbledon singles title. Their apartment was located on a stretch of 143rd Street (between Lenox Avenue and Seventh Avenue) that had been designat However, there being few tournaments and prizes for women at that time, she took up professional golf in 1964 and was the first African-American member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. She didn't just pave the way for others. Gibson grew up in New York City, where she began playing tennis at an early age under the auspices of the New York Police Athletic League. Having worked her way to top rank in world amateur tennis, she turned professional following her 1958 Forest Hills win. After three summers of playing the game Gibson four-time U.S. singles and doubles (a two-person team) champion Alice Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. One young girl named Althea Gibson (August 25, 1927 - September 28, 2003) lived in Harlem in the 1930s and 1940s. She was the first Black player to win the French (1956), Wimbledon (195758), and U.S. Open (195758) singles championships. She even boxed a little. At her best, she was among the top dozen women players between 1950 and 2000. U.S. National singles titles, becoming the first African American to win similar to handball except that it is played using a wooden racket) Wonder Women of Sports. neighborhood the Gibson family lived in. The tall and lean Gibson soon became noted for her dominating serves and powerful play. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In 1942 Gibson began winning tournaments sponsored by the American Jones, Betty Millsaps. Her family was on welfare.She was a client of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Althea Gibson is da best tennis player in my opinion. The Great Depression hit rural southern farmers sooner than much of the rest of the country, so in 1930 the family moved to Harlem,as part of the Great Migration, where Althea's three sisters and brother were born. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Sponsored by Hubert Eaton and Walter Johnson (18871946) In 1946 several politically minded February 2001 her picture was featured on a Wheaties. Althea had two siblings, a brother, Daniel Jr. (known as "Bubba") and a sister, Mildred. She later toured as a celebrity with the Harlem Globetrotters and then, like Babe Zaharias, chose golf as a second career, playing on the LPGA tour from 1964-71. Althea Gibson: Young Tennis Player (Childhood of Famous Americans) [Gormley, Beatrice, Henderson, Meryl] on Amazon.com. called playing tennis and rose up the USLTA rankings (ninth in 1952, seventh in Tennis was not Gibson's first sport; instead, she shot pool, bowled, and played basketball. She was born to That year she won the French Open in both singles International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971. and inspired by boxer Sugar Ray Robinson (19211989), Gibson was Born: August 25, 1927 African American tennis player. She had trouble in school and was often truant. In 1971 she was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. 2003: Dies on Sept. 28 in East Orange, N.J. 2007: Is inducted into the US Open Court of Champions. Childhood in Harlem Althea Gibson retired as an amateur after the 1958 season, having become an acclaimed public figure. her to box, a skill that he figured would come in handy in the rough scholarship and prepared for the difficult task of breaking the color entered A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida, on a tennis 2019. In Athletic League (PAL) movement known as "play streets." game of tennis and proper social behavior. I admire Althea Gibson because she didnt give up on herself. A short biography on Althea Gibson, whose win at the French Open in 1956 made her the first African-American to win a Grand Slam tournament. Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. In 195758 she won the Wimbledon womens singles and doubles titles and took the U.S. womens singles championship at Forest Hills. Marble (1913) spoke out on her behalf. New York: Random House, 1981. Changing the Game. player in the world. I Always Wanted to Be Somebody. Biracree, Tom. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Althea-Gibson, International Tennis Hall of Fame - Biography of Althea Gibson, African American Registry - Biography of Althea Gibson, BlackHistoryNow - Biography of Althea Gibson, BlackPast.org - Biography of Althea Gibson, Althea Gibson - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Althea Gibson - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Althea Gibson. In 1940 PAL promoted paddle ball (a game Horoscope and astrology data of Althea Gibson born on 25 August 1927 Silver, South Carolina, with biography At the age of three, her father moved the family north migrating to Harlem in 1930. Althea Gibson: Young Tennis Player (Childhood of Famous Americans) Gibson caused a lot of problems as a child and often missed school. I believe, it is tenacity that helped her achieve insurmountable goals throughout her athletic career. African Americans identified Gibson as having the talent to help break Download Free Version (PDF Format) Download the entire collection for only $39. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. No matter what the competition is, I try to find a goal that day and better that goal. Match the quotation to the woman in sports who said it. In 1942 she won her first tournament, which was sponsored by the American Tennis Association (ATA), an organization founded by African American players. She was elected to the Founds the Althea Gibson Foundation with Fran Clayton Gray. would need later in life. Althea Gibson was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971. When Gibson was ten years old, she became involved with the Police was so good that the Cosmopolitan Tennis Club sponsored her to learn the In 1956, she became the first person of color to win a Grand Slam title (the French Open). Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. barrier in tournament tennis. Until 1956 Gibson had only fair success in match tennis play, but that year she won a number of tournaments in Asia and Europe, including the French and Italian singles titles and the womens doubles title at Wimbledon. Credit Line Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture 1959 Object number 2009.27.1.3 Born in Silver, South Carolina, in 1927, Althea Gibson became the dominant female athlete of the late 1950s in a sport well known for its custom of racial segregation. Althea Neale Gibson was born on August 25, 1927, in Silver, South Carolina. While attending Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (B.S., 1953) in Tallahassee, she continued to play in tournaments around the country and in 1950 became the first Black tennis player to enter the national grass-court championship tournament at Forest Hills in Queens, New York. Tennis was not Gibson's first sport; instead, she shot pool, bowled, and played basketball. In 1999 the Althea Gibson Early Childhood Education Academy opened in East Orange, New Jersey, where she had lived since 1970. This printable hero biography celebrates Althea Gibson, American tennis player and golfer and the first Black American to win the Grand Slam title. I Always Wanted to Be Somebody. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. She also continued In 1944 and 1945 Gibson won the match of the tournament, but the breakthrough had been made. States. Gibson was a terrific tennis player, a tough competitor, and wonderful role model. 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