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(1927-2003)

Who Was Althea Gibson?

Althea Gibson developed a love of tennis at an early age, but in the 1940s and '50s, most tournaments were closed to African Americans.

Gibson kept playing (and winning) until her skills could no longer be denied, and in 1951, she became the first African American to play at Wimbledon.

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Gibson won the women's singles and doubles at Wimbledon in 1957 and won the U.S. Open in 1958.

Early Life and Career

Althea Neale Gibson was born on August 25, 1927, in Silver, South Carolina. Gibson blazed a new trail in the sport of tennis, winning some of the sport's biggest titles in the 1950s, and broke racial barriers in professional golf as well.

At a young age, Gibson moved with her family to Harlem, a neighborhood in the borough of New York City.

Gibson's life at this time had its hardships. Her family struggled to make ends meet, living on public assistance for a time, and Gibson struggled in the classroom, often skipping school alto