Lady ChangeMakers - Meet Althea Gibson She was an amazing tennis player for her time and could very likely take on the Williams sisters. She also became the first Black player to
![My Story: Robert Ryland, First Black Professional Male Tennis Player (As Told to: Dr. Darlene Powell Garlington & Eileen Harris [E.H. Graphics]): Robert H. Ryland, Dr. Darlene Powell Garlington, Eileen Harris (E.H My Story: Robert Ryland, First Black Professional Male Tennis Player (As Told to: Dr. Darlene Powell Garlington & Eileen Harris [E.H. Graphics]): Robert H. Ryland, Dr. Darlene Powell Garlington, Eileen Harris (E.H](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71w+beganzL.jpg)
My Story: Robert Ryland, First Black Professional Male Tennis Player (As Told to: Dr. Darlene Powell Garlington & Eileen Harris [E.H. Graphics]): Robert H. Ryland, Dr. Darlene Powell Garlington, Eileen Harris (E.H
![Sixty-Five Years Ago, Althea Gibson Broke the Color Line at the French Open | At the Smithsonian | Smithsonian Magazine Sixty-Five Years Ago, Althea Gibson Broke the Color Line at the French Open | At the Smithsonian | Smithsonian Magazine](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/q7cfc_6v0hgpnvnWX4I5CTBiH_U=/1072x720/filters:no_upscale():focal(811x200:812x201)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/70/20/7020b698-77d0-43da-a4aa-5bd1113f9fad/althea_social.jpg)
Sixty-Five Years Ago, Althea Gibson Broke the Color Line at the French Open | At the Smithsonian | Smithsonian Magazine
![Billie Jean King on Twitter: "71 years ago today, Althea Gibson became the first Black tennis player to compete at the U.S. National Championships (now called the #USOpen). A trailblazer. A pioneer. Billie Jean King on Twitter: "71 years ago today, Althea Gibson became the first Black tennis player to compete at the U.S. National Championships (now called the #USOpen). A trailblazer. A pioneer.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E96fv9eXoAgZJvv.jpg:large)
Billie Jean King on Twitter: "71 years ago today, Althea Gibson became the first Black tennis player to compete at the U.S. National Championships (now called the #USOpen). A trailblazer. A pioneer.
![Black Women Radicals on Twitter: "Happy Birthday, Althea Gibson! (August 25, 1927 – September 28, 2003) 🎈 Gibson was a tennis player & professional golfer & the first Black athlete to cross Black Women Radicals on Twitter: "Happy Birthday, Althea Gibson! (August 25, 1927 – September 28, 2003) 🎈 Gibson was a tennis player & professional golfer & the first Black athlete to cross](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EC0S_T_XoAEgkk6.jpg)