Althea Gibson (In History) - August 25, 1927 - September 28, 2003

Althea distinguished herself as an incredible tennis player, winning the all-Black American Tennis Association (ATA) tournaments, ten consecutive years. In 1950, she became the first African American permitted to compete in the Forest Hill (NY) National Grass Court Championship. A Florida A&M graduate, she was the first African American woman named Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press, an award she received twice; and the first African American to win championships at Grand Slam tournaments (the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open). She was inducted into the South Carolina, Florida, and New Jersey Sports Hall of Fame, the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame, and the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She was also among Sports Illustrated’s Top 100 Greatest Female Athletes.

Site referencing Althea Gibson:
http://www.altheagibson.com/biographical.htm