Australian Open 2010 Serena and Venus Williams AP/Photo Rick Rycroft
It seems unfitting that only one month has been set aside to celebrate Black History.
There has been so much history made by many black athletes over time that changed the direction of acceptance for black athletes. In tennis , there were a couple notable black players who excelled at their respective sport that have earned the right to be celebrated forever and given thanks. They set the stage for so many athletes and athletes to come.
Ashe Monument Richmond, VA Photo Creative Commons
Todays generation;The Williams’s sisters, James Blake, and upcoming sensation, Donald Young, to name a few, have shown integrity and appreciation for the African Americans who played before them.
Those players helped fight racism and fought for equal rights for all people, most notably Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson, and did so with their racquet's's and hearts.
They paved the way for African Americans. They proved that color didn’t matter on the court, even though there was still plenty of hatred ignorance and stupidity among many fans of the game.
These players fought hard for a right to play a sport during a time when some country clubs or tennis courts would not allow blacks to play. They stood up proudly for whom they were, great citizens of this great nation and incredible athletes and role models.
Bryan Shelton Photo by [http://jmhphoto.net]Jamie Howell
Over time, more African American players came on the scene. Zina Garrison, Chip Hooper, Bryan Shelton, Martin Blackman, Malivai Washington, the list can goes on and on. They showed the world that they belonged and that the color of skin had no bearing in who should be allowed on court. They deserved a right to be professional players.
Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson are the most notable black tennis players, however some may never have heard of a remarkable black tennis player from Philadelphia, Ora Mae Washington, who set a precedent for her commitment to tennis.
From 1929-1937, she won the American Tennis Association’s national singles title eight times in 9 years and the doubles championships 12 straight years. The best white tennis player at the time was Helen Wills Moody who refused to play Ora because the color of her skin.
In 1968, Arthur Ashe became the first black man, as an amateur, to win the US Open beating Tom Okker of the Netherlands. He won his second Grand Slam in at the 1970 Australia Open. Ashe also beat fellow American, Jimmy Connors, in the 1975 Wimbledon Championships. "I believed that I would win," he wrote in his book, Arthur Ashe: Portrait in Motion. "I don't mean I thought I would win. I understood that I would win."
Althea Gibson was the first African American to compete on the professional circuit and also the first to win a Grand Slam tournament in 1956. She went on to win 11 grand Slam Titles, recorded an album and was the first female black golfer on the LPGA. Her life was extremely impressive, a courageous athletic battle for a chance to compete and prove. She reached for the highs, suffering the lows and ultimately became a true champion who will forever be remembered.
As a nation, we salute those African Americans who set their mark in life and gave life everything it offered. They will forever be celebrated, not only for what they conquered and endured, but also for the individuals they had become.
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