Althea Gibson was a trailblazer in the game of tennis, an elite sport that was dominated by white players for generations. Gibson, who grew up poor in Harlem, faced discrimination as she rose to the top of the ranks in tennis. Much of the country was still segregated in the 40s and 50s, forcing Gibson to sleep in her car while on the tournament circuit. In 1951, she was the first black player to compete at Wimbledon. By 1958, she was the top ranked player in the world, gracing the covers of Sports Illustrated and Time magazine.
Despite her many accolades, Gibson was not able to make a living playing tennis because the sport didn’t offer prize money at the time, so she retired at the height of her career. Today, she is celebrated for inspiring black tennis players for generations to come.
