The Story Of Althea Gibson: Why Her Legacy Still Deserves Praise

This year, the U.S. Open is paying tribute to a trailblazer whose impact forever changed the face of tennis. During the tournament from Aug.18 to Sept. 8, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will honor the groundbreaking achievements of Althea Gibson, the first Black player to break the color barrier in the U.S. National Championships in 1950. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of that historic moment, the 2025 tournament theme—“75 Years of Breaking Barriers”—is a powerful homage to Gibson’s incredible legacy, her courage, and the countless doors she opened for generations of athletes.
According to a press release, the honor festivities for Gibson kicked off during Fan Week (Aug. 18 to Aug. 23), where attendees at this year’s Open experienced a stunning visual centerpiece: original theme art created by Melissa Koby, the first-ever Black artist commissioned to create theme artwork for the tournament. Koby’s piece captures the essence of Gibson’s legacy through her signature medium—layered paper. At first glance, the art is bold and dynamic, but a closer look reveals hidden symbols layered with intention and meaning.
Each paper cut adds narrative depth: the Statue of Liberty nods to New York—where Gibson was raised—and her Tiffany trophies shimmering in the background. The Arthur Ashe Stadium anchors the image, which takes on the shape of the incredible tennis great, and at the center of the piece stands Gibson, racquet raised, eyes focused on a tennis ball suspended mid-air.
The beautiful piece will remain on display throughout the tournament.
Gibson’s influence will also be honored through a series of live tributes throughout the tournament, beginning Aug. 25, which would have been the tennis icon’s 98th birthday. Coinciding with the first day of main draw play, family members of Gibson, along with former and current African American tennis players, will attend a private brunch reception followed by an in-stadium ceremony inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. A commemorative tribute video honoring the tennis icon’s life will also play throughout the ceremony during competitions on Monday.
The life of Althea Gibson
Born in 1927 in Silver, South Carolina, to sharecroppers Daniel and Annie Bell Gibson, Althea Gibson was raised in Harlem, where her life in sports began. At 13, she picked up a tennis racquet for the first time and soon after began competing in local tournaments organized by the American Tennis Association (ATA), a league formed in response to the segregation of Black players by the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association, according to Town and Country. After a string of ATA victories in the 1940s, Gibson’s talent and determination led her to become the first African American player to compete in the U.S. National Championships in 1950 and at Wimbledon in 1951.

In 1956, she made history again as the first Black player to win a Grand Slam, taking the title at the French Championships. The victories kept coming: Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals in 1957, followed by repeat wins at both tournaments in 1958.
In total, her groundbreaking career included 11 Grand Slam titles and five in singles. Despite her fame and achievements, Gibson never sought the spotlight for her barrier-breaking feats. In her 1958 autobiography, I Always Wanted to Be Somebody, she wrote, “I have never regarded myself as a crusader. I don’t consciously beat the drums for any cause, not even the Negro in the United States,” Biography noted.
Still, her presence on the world’s biggest tennis stages—at a time when the sport was closed to people who looked like her—spoke volumes. Her legacy, both on and off the court, continues to inspire and shape the game.
The 2025 U.S. Open’s tribute is not just a celebration of Gibson’s legacy; it’s a reflection of how far the sport has come.
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The Story Of Althea Gibson: Why Her Legacy Still Deserves Praise was originally published on newsone.com