Althea Gibson On PBS

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Just in case anyone wants to watch it and it is showing in their area, PBS is doing a special on Althea Gibson. In case some are not aware Althea Gibson was trailblazing African-American tennis player. She went on to become the first African-American woman to win a Grand Slam. She went on to win five Grand Slam singles titles.

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1. Thanks

Watching

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2. Serena Williams Inspires Millions. This Is The Woman Who Inspires Serena...

by Lindsay Gibbs Sep 4, 2015 10:22am

Well before this year’s U.S. Open got underway it was clear that, regardless of who was playing on Arthur Ashe Stadium at any given time, Serena Williams would be the main event. In her quest to tie Steffi Graf with 22 majors and become the first woman since Graf in 1988 to win the Grand Slam, everyone has come down with a case of Serena Fever — she’s covering magazines, starring in inspirational commercials, and prompting the women’s final to sell out before the men’s final for the first time in U.S. Open history.

But Williams hasn’t always been so universally adored. She has faced incessant racist and sexist criticism throughout her career, about everything from her beaded braids to her biceps, her catsuit to her crip walk.

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While Williams never met Gibson, who passed away in 2003, she has always been familiar with Gibson’s place in tennis history, even faxing her questions for a school project back in 1997.

“I read a lot of books about Althea. I’ve always dreamt of being on the same level as her,” Williams said back at the 2007 U.S. Open. “I just really, really am glad I have an opportunity to be able to play… Althea makes me happy and excited to be black."

More: http://thinkprogress.org/sports/2015/09/04/3698727/without-althea-there-is-no-serena/

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