[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 137 (Wednesday, October 1, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       IN MEMORY OF ALTHEA GIBSON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 1, 2003

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate a national hero: 
a woman who broke the color lines in tennis, pioneering in a sport 
which had closed its doors to people of color for many years. On 
September 28, 2003, Althea Gibson died, at the age of 76, at East 
Orange General Hospital in New Jersey.
  Though unknown to many Americans, Althea Gibson paved the way for 
Black people in the sport of tennis, allowing athletes such as Venus 
and Serena Williams to reach their present level of prominence.
  Althea Gibson was born in Silver, South Carolina, and soon moved to 
New York City's Harlem where she developed her love of the game. She 
won a series of tournaments for Black players, including the National 
Negro Girl's Championships in 1944 and 1945, which earned her great 
recognition. This acclaim persuaded officials at the U.S. National 
Tennis Championships, the precursor to the U.S. Open, to allow Ms. 
Gibson to compete in 1950. In participating in this preeminent 
tournament, Ms. Gibson became the first Black woman to desegregate 
professional tennis. The following year, she played in the Wimbledon 
tournament, but lost in the quarterfinals.
  In 1955, Ms. Gibson joined the Goodwill Athletic tour, sponsored by 
the State Department and while touring in 1956, she became the first 
Black player to win French Championships. In the following year she won 
the singles and doubles championships at Wimbledon. In 1957 and 1958, 
Ms. Gibson returned to the U.S. National Tennis Championships, winning 
in both years and being named the Associated Press female athlete of 
the year each year, as well--the first Black woman to receive such an 
honor.
  Due to racism, however, Althea Gibson was not able to acquire 
endorsements and tennis brought very little financial security. Ms. 
Gibson left the sport in the late 1950's and joined the Harlem 
Globetrotters Basketball Team tour, where she played exhibition tennis 
matches. After retiring from tennis, Althea Gibson took up competitive 
golf and desegregated the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour in 
the early 1960's. She settled in New Jersey, where she had several jobs 
from athletic commissioner to manager of the recreation department in 
the city of East Orange. Ms. Gibson wrote two autobiographies, ``I 
Always Wanted To Be Somebody'' (1958) and ``So Much To Live For'' 
(1968). With the death of Althea Gibson, America has lost one of its 
groundbreaking sports heroes; however, her memory and accomplishments 
will continue to live on.

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