[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 138 (Thursday, October 2, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1964]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF ALTHEA GIBSON, H. 
                                RES. 386

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 2, 2003

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, it is with a profound sense of pride that 
I rise today in support of the Resolution, sponsored by Representative 
Juanita Millender-McDonald, commemorating the life and achievements of 
the great African American tennis legend, Althea Gibson. This 
trailblazer died on Sunday, September 28, 2003 at the age of 76. I 
stand here today to pay tribute to her fighting spirit.
  Mr. Speaker, long before there was a Venus or Serena Williams there 
was Althea Gibson. As we celebrate the impressive records accumulated 
by these two tennis stars we often forget that it was just a little 
over 50 years ago that tennis was an all-white sport.
  Born on August 25, 1927 in Silver, South Carolina, this 5-foot-11 
black woman boldly challenged the conventional wisdom of the day. 
Overcoming the depths of racism and adversity, Althea Gibson's 
pioneering efforts to integrate the sport paved the way for the likes 
of Arthur Ashe, Venus and Serena Williams, Tiger Woods, and future 
generations of aspiring African American athletes. America owes her a 
tremendous debt.
  Her list of accomplishments is impressive. Breaking the color barrier 
in the 1950s, Althea Gibson became the first African American woman to 
compete at and win the Wimbledon and U.S. national tennis titles. She 
was also the first African American player on the Ladies Professional 
Golfers Association Tour. Between 1956 and 1958, Althea Gibson captured 
the Wimbledon and United States championships and won the French Open 
and three Wimbledon doubles titles. In 1957, she was the first African 
American to be voted by the Associated Press as its Female Athlete of 
the Year. She won that honor again in 1958.
  Ms. Gibson attended Florida A&M University where she was initiated as 
a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She died as a 
``golden soror'' of this elite organization after being a member of the 
sorority for over 50 years.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, I leave you with words that are attributed 
to this great first lady of tennis-- ``. . . here stands before you a 
Negro woman, raised in Harlem, who went on to become a tennis player . 
. . and finally wound up being a world champion, in fact the first 
black woman champion of the world.''
  Mr. Speaker, again it is my honor and privilege to lend my 
wholehearted support to this important resolution--which honors and 
commemorates the life and achievements of this great African American 
woman. I urge all of my colleagues to support the Resolution, H. Res. 
386, which honors the indomitable spirit of Althea Gibson.

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