Good News In History, August 22
Good News In History, August 22 75 years ago today, Althea Gibson became the first black competitor in international tennis, after US officials, bowing to pressure, invited the 23-year-old to play in the National Championships (now the US Open). Born in South Carolina to sharecropper parents who moved to Harlem when Althea was six, their neighbors took up a collection to pay for her tennis lessons. SEE her accomplishments in a short video… (1950) In 1956, she became the first person of color to win a Grand Slam title (the French Open). The following year she won both Wimbledon and the US Nationals– then won both again in 1958. Often compared to Jackie Robinson, and with a lifetime total of 11 Grand Slam tournaments, Althea Gibson (1927-2003) is often called one of the greatest tennis players of all time. MORE Good News on this Day: 12 nations signed the First Geneva Convention to adopt international law protecting wounded soldiers, field medics, and the Red Cross during battle—and to pres…
