Althea Gibson was an American tennis player who became one of the first black athletes to compete at Wimbledon in 1951. Gibson was born and raised in Harlem, NY. She had a hard time in school and experienced many hardships throughout her life, but playing sports became an escape for her. She enjoyed playing paddle tennis and created a name for herself as the “local paddle tennis champion”, not knowing that she would later be the first ever black athlete to win Wimbledon in 1957. After winning, Queen Elizabeth II presented her with the winner’s trophy. In 1958, she wrote a memoir, “I Always Wanted to Be Somebody.”. In 2003, Althea sadly passed away, leaving behind a legacy that will forever live on. After all, Althea inspires many today to continue to make an impact in the world and to continue to share your gift with the world, no matter the challenges you may encounter.
Sources: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/althea-gibson
