by Ashley Brown
The dramatic victory of Coco Gauff at the U.S. Open this week makes this the perfect moment to reflect on the amazing life of Althea Gibson, the first Black woman sports superstar. Often compared to Jackie Robinson, Gibson dominated tennis in the 1950s and fought for the integration of sports. The daughter of sharecroppers from South Carolina became the first African American to win U.S. Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon, and the first to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
See the Jones Library Antiracism Book List for recommended titles for all ages.