[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 69 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.Con.Res.69
                                     Agreed to November 22, 2003        

                       One Hundred Eighth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
           the seventh day of January, two thousand and three


                          Concurrent Resolution

Whereas Althea Gibson was born on August 25, 1927, and lived with her 
  family in Harlem during the 1930's and 1940's;

Whereas Althea Gibson was first introduced to tennis on the Harlem 
  River Tennis Courts and went on to dominate the all-black American 
  Tennis Association tournaments throughout the early 1940's, when 
  racism and segregation prevented her from participating in 
  tournaments sponsored by the American Lawn Tennis Association;

Whereas Althea Gibson graduated from Florida A&M University in 1953, 
  and was an athletic instructor at the Lincoln University in Jefferson 
  City, Missouri;

Whereas Althea Gibson was the first African-American player, either 
  male or female, to be allowed to enter the Forrest Hills, New York, 
  Championship in 1950, after her talents and celebrity forced the 
  American Lawn Tennis Association to reevaluate its policy;

Whereas Althea Gibson was the first African-American invited to 
  Wimbledon in 1951, eventually winning both the women's singles and 
  doubles in 1957, after which she was greeted by New York City with a 
  ticker tape parade;

Whereas Althea Gibson was the first African-American woman to win the 
  championship at the French Open, in 1956;

Whereas Althea Gibson after finishing her amateur tennis career became 
  a professional golfer in 1959 and won the women's tennis professional 
  singles in 1960;

Whereas Althea Gibson was Athletic Commissioner for the State of New 
  Jersey from 1975 to 1977; and

Whereas Althea Gibson was inducted into the International Tennis Hall 
  of Fame in 1971, and to the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame 
  in 1980: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that Althea Gibson should be 
recognized for her ground breaking athletic achievements and for 
continuing to serve as a role model for the Nation's youth.
  Attest:

                                 Clerk of the House of Representatives.

  Attest:

                                               Secretary of the Senate.