Photos: Althea Gibson is first African American to win Wimbledon, July 6, 1957
July 5, 2013
Althea Gibson makes a low return to Darlene Hard during their title match at Wimbledon July 6, 1957. Gibson claimed the women's singles tennis title at Wimbledon and became the first African American to win a championship. (AP Photo) ( WIMBLEDON GIBSON )
FILE - In this July 6, 1957 file photo, Althea Gibson, of New York City, holds the women's singles tennis trophy at Wimbledon, England, while being kissed by her finals opponent, Darlene Hard, of Montebello, Calif. (AP Photo, File) ( 1940 Census Black Undercount )
Queen Elizabeth II of England, right, presents winners trophy to Althea gibson who won the women's title in the All England Lawn Tennis Championship at Wimbledon, England, july 6, 1957. Gibson defeated Darlene Hard, left, 6-3, 6-2. (AP Photo) ( Queen Elizabeth II and Althea Gibson )
Althea Gibson, of New York City, slides under the net to return the ball during semi-finals of the women's doubles at the All-England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, England, July 6, 1956. Britain's Angela Buxton and Gibson defeated Louis Brough, of Beverly Hills, Ca., and Shirley Fry of St. Petersburg, Fla., 7-5, 6-4. (AP Photo) ( WIMBLEDON DOUBLES GIBSON )
The Duchess of Kent, center, presents the trophy for the Ladies' Doubles title to Angela Buxton, left, and Althea Gibson, right, following their victory at Wimbledon, England, July 7, 1956. They defeated the Australian team of Fay Muller and Daphne Seeney, 6-1, 8-6. (AP Photo) ( Althea Gibson and Angela Buxton )
Althea Gibson, who won the Wimbledon women's singles and doubles, smiles and waves to the crowd from the backseat of the open car during a ticker-tape parade up Broadway in New York City on July 11, 1957. Gibson, of Harlem, N.Y., is the first black person to win the Wimbledon title. (AP Photo) ( TICKER TAPE PARADE ALTHEA GIBSON )
Althea Gibson of New York, right, and Christine Truman of Woodford, Essex, England, left, shake hands over the net after their ladies? singles semi-final of the All-England Lawn Tennis championships at Wimbledon, London, England on July 4, 1957. Miss Gibson won 6-1, 6-1. (AP Photo/John Rider-Rider) ( Christine Truman )
American champion Althea Gibson is shown in action at the International Championship of Tennis at the Roland-Petit court near Paris, France, on May 18, 1956. (AP Photo) ( ALTHEA GIBSON )
Wimbledon champion Althea Gibson of New York City shows the winning form that helped her capture the U.S. National Tennis Championships at Forest Hills, N.Y., Sept. 8, 1957, as she goes after a return by Louise Brough of Beverly Hills, far court. (AP Photo/Harry Harris) ( National Tennis Championships Althea Gibson 1957 )
Wimbledon champion Althea Gibson of New York sends a forehand smash toward Karol Fageros of Miami Beach, for a point during their first round match in the U.S. Tennis Championships at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y., Aug. 31, 1957. (AP Photo/John Lindsay) ( National Tennis Championships Althea Gibson 1957 )
Vice President Richard Nixon presents winners' trophy to New York's Althea Gibson, the first black woman ever to win the National Tennis Championships women's title in Forest Hills, N.Y., Sept. 8, 1957. At right is Mal Anderson of Australia, winner in the men's division. (AP Photo/Harris Harris) ( National Tennis Championships Althea Gibson Mal Anderson 1957 )
Althea Gibson, left, and Mal Anderson hold their trophies after their victories in the National Tennis Championships in Forest Hills, N.Y., Sept. 8, 1957. (AP Photo/Harry Harris) ( National Tennis Championships Althea Gibson Mal Anderson 1957 )
New York's Althea Gibson and Australia's Mal Anderson hold their trophies after their victories in the National Tennis Championships at Forest Hills, N.Y., Sept. 8, 1957. Others are unidentified. (AP Photo/Harry Harris) ( National Tennis Championships Althea Gibson Mal Anderson 1957 )
Actors John Waynes, left, and William Holden, right, congratulates tennis star Althea Gibson in Los Angeles, Dec. 24, 1958, Gibson is making her movie debut with upon her selection for the second straight year as female athlete of the year in the annual Associated Press poll. Gibson is making her movie debut with Wayne and Holden in "Horse Soldiers," under production in Hollywood. (AP Photo/Harold Filan) ( John Wayne, Althea Gibson and William Holden )
Tennis player Althea Gibson shows the first tennis racket she used in 1942 on the streets of Harlem to Tiny Huston, 9, and her sister Monica, 1, in New York City, July 11, 1973. Gibson opened the Pepsi-Cola summer tennis program which will bring the sport to 20,000 inner city youth. (AP Photo) ( NYC ALTHEA GIBSON SUMMER TENNIS )
Althea Gibson, of United States, curtsies before the Duke of Kent, president of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, on Center Court during a ceremony to mark the centennial year of the Ladies' Championships at Wimbledon, England, July 2, 1984. Gibson, a former professional golfer, became the first black person to win the Wimbledon title in 1957. Standing second from left is the Duchess of Kent. (AP Photo) ( WIMBLEDON DUKE OF KENT GIBSON )
Althea Gibson, Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion, is presented the Frederick C. Miller trophy for outstanding female athlete of 1957 in New York City on Feb. 15, 1958. At left is judge Robert Cannon, of Milwaukee. (AP Photo) ( GIBSON ATHLETE OF YEAR )
Former tennis star Althea Gibson is seen in her East Orange, N.J. apartment during an interview, Dec. 21, 1968. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler) ( ALTHEA GIBSON 1968 )
Tennis players Arthur Ashe, left, and Althea Gibson pose while holding trophies after being inducted into the Eastern Tennis Association Hall of Fame, May 13, 1988 at the Marriott Marquis in New York. (AP Photo/Susan Ragan) ( HALL OF FAME ASHE GIBSON 1988 )
Althea Gibson, player from Florida A&M College, is shown in action at the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association Clay Courts championships in River Forest, Illinois, July 18, 1950. (AP Photo) ( Althea Gibson 1950 )
Althea Gibson, right, tennis player from Florida A&M College, talks with Mela Ramirez of Mexico City, before their match in the opening round of the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association Clay Courts Championship in River Forest, Illinois, July 18, 1950. Gibson defeated Ramirez, the Mexican women's tennis champion, 6-3, 6-1. (AP Photo) ( Gibson Ramirez 1950 )
Tennis player Althea Gibson, left, of New York, wipes her face as she stands with Louise Brough, of Beverly Hills, Calif., who eliminated Gibson in the second round match of the National Tennis Championships in Forest Hills, New York, Aug. 30, 1950. Brough, Wimbledon champion, won 6-1, 3-6, 9-7. Gibson, the first African American ever to play in the event, led by seven games to six when play resumed in the third set of the match, which was rained out the day before. (AP Photo) ( Brough Gibson 1950 )
American athlete Althea Gibson returns to Germany's Edda Buding in the first round of Wimbledon on June 26, 1956. (AP Photo) ( WIMBLEDON GIBSON BUDING )
Tennis Star, Althea Gibson, signs in for the National Tennis Championships at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y., Aug. 31, 1956. (AP Photo) ( Althea Gibson )
Althea Gibson, is shown in New York City, Dec. 12, 1963, after she signed a contract as a golf pro with Dunlop. (AP Photo/Harry Harris) ( Althea Gibson )
Althea Gibson, left, and Karol Fageros are shown in New York, Oct. 19, 1959 where they signed a professional contract with the Harlem Globetrotters. Beginning Dec. 29 both women will make a nationwide tour with the Globetrotters playing exhibition matches prior to Globetrotter games. (AP Photo/Harry Harris) ( Althea Gibson and Karol Fageros )
Roy Campanella, center, former major league catcher, chats with Althea Gibson, former tennis star and Satchel Paige at the Negro American League's 29th East-West All-Satr game at New York's Yankee Stadium, Aug. 20, 1961. Paige, former pitcher for the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Browns, started the game for the west. (AP Photo) ( Roy Campanella, Althea Gibson and Satchel Paige )
Althea Gibson is shown in her East Orange, N.J. home in 1968. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler) ( ALTHEA GIBSON )
This is a 1999 file photo showing Althea Gibson. (AP Photo/Susan Ragan) ( US Open Preview Tennis )
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, left, and former tennis star Billie Jean King, center left, look on as a statue of tennis star Althea Gibson is revealed at Branch Brook Park, Wednesday, March 28, 2012, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) ( Althea Gibson Statue )
Brooklyn Dodgers' second baseman, Jackie Robinson, gets tennis tips from tennis star Althea Gibson at the celebrity tennis tournament at the 7th Regiment Armory in New York, Feb. 16, 1951. The tournament was staged for the benefit of the American National Theater and Academy. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler) ( Celeb Tennis Gibson Robinson 1951 )
Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly fails to return the ball to Althea Gibson in the National Tennis championships at Forest Hills in Queens, N.Y., on Sept. 5, 1953. Connolly, the defending champion from San Diego, Ca., gained the semi-finals with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Gibson of New York. (AP Photo) ( U.S. NATIONAL GIBSON CONNOLLY )
Tennis player Althea Gibson of Tallahassee, Fla., completes a return in her first round of play against Mela Ramirez, the Mexican women's champ, July 18, 1950 in River Forest, Ill. Ms. Gibson won, 6-3 and 6-1. (AP Photo) ( ALTHEA GIBSON 1950 )
Daniel Gibson and his wife Annie beam at their home in New York as they hold AP RadioPhotos showing their daughter Althea at Wimbledon, England, where she won the women's tennis championship, July 6, 1957. Mrs. Gibson said "We're so proud of her we don't know what to say." (AP Photo/Harry Harris) ( Gibson's Parents Proud )
Althea Gibson makes a low return to Darlene Hard during their title match at Wimbledon July 6, 1957. Gibson won 6-3, 6-2. (AP Photo) ( WIMBLEDON GIBSON )