Althea Gibson

Leah Waldo

March 4, 2015

African American History II

Professor Booker

Althea Gibson

        “In the field of sports, you are more or less accepted for what you do rather than who you are.” – Althea Gibson. Althea not only spoke these words but lived by them. During a time when blacks couldn’t even eat, shop, or work in the same places that Whites could, Gibson earned the acceptance and soon respect of white people through her contributions to sports. Although Gibson faced many challenges growing up and once she got into the Professional Tennis League she fought through them and because of that is one of the most famous athletes to date. With many accomplishments, writing two books included, she paved the way for African American athletes all over the country.  In order to appreciate and understand her triumphs one most know and understand her trials. This paper will explore both.

Althea Gibson was born on August 25th 1927 in Silver South Carolina to Daniel and Annie Gibson. Gibson was one of five children who experienced the struggles of having to relocate from South Carolina to New York City due to the failure of the share crop industry. Althea’s parents struggled to make ends meet and were living on public assistance for a short period of time during Gibson’s early life. At an early age Gibson learned to relieve stress in sports. Shooting pool, bowling, boxing and playing basketball with the neighborhood boys helped her to focus less on things at home. By the time she got to high school she began to skip school and find her in a lot of trouble. How did this out of control teenager find a love for tennis and change from being a delinquent to the first African American Woman to be recognized on a national level for her skill and not her color?

Until her formal involvement in sports, Gibson always struggled to "be somebody." The Police Athletic League sponsored various recreational programs, including paddle tennis, at which she excelled. Musician Buddy Walker, who at the time coached for the PAL's recreation department, noticed Gibson playing paddleball and suggested she might enjoy tennis. He gave her a used racquet and taught her the basics. Convinced of her raw talent, Walker introduced her to the upscale Harlem Cosmopolitan Club, where she played a few sets with the pro there, Fred Johnson. The club members, impressed, bought Gibson a junior membership and lessons with Johnson. One member, Rhoda Smith, who had lost her own daughter a decade earlier, took Gibson under her wing, buying her tennis clothes and teaching the chronic rule breaker some new rules, those of social etiquette.

Tennis turned out to be the turn Gibson needed. Tennis allowed her an outlet to release some of the energy she was known for having but the sport also offered, discipline something Gibson lacked for such a long time. Although she was described by many colleagues and opponents as feisty and a fighter, she loved the sport and that was evident after every game she played. After winning several tournaments hosted by the local recreation department, Gibson was introduced to the Harlem River Tennis Courts in 1941. Incredibly, just a year after picking up a racket for the first time, she won a local tournament sponsored by the American Tennis Association, an African-American organization established to promote and sponsor tournaments for black players. She picked up two more ATA titles in 1944 and 1945. Then, after losing one title in 1946, Gibson won 10 straight championships from 1947 to 1956. During this winning streak, she made history as the first African-American tennis player to compete at both the U.S. National Championships (1950) and Wimbledon (1951).