FEBRUARY 1, 2023, NEWPORT, R.I. – The Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame is celebrating Black Historical past Month with two new schooling initiatives that spotlight the roles of Black tennis athletes in historical past and tradition.
As a part of the ITHF’s ongoing initiative to teach and highlight Black tennis historical past, followers can now discover 16 new additions to the digital exhibit Breaking Boundaries in Black Tennis. The ITHF is moreover partnering with the Nationwide Archives and Nationwide Archives Basis to host a lecture with Professor Ashley Brown to debate her guide Serving Herself: The Life and Occasions of Althea Gibson.
New Additions to Breaking Boundaries in Black Tennis Featured All through February. Launched in February 2022, the digital exhibit Breaking Boundaries highlights the breakthroughs, evolution, and impression of Black tennis gamers and contributors globally. Followers can browse the interactive globe on-line at breakingboundaries.tennisfame.com to discover these people’ on-court achievements and lasting impacts on the game.
Up to now yr, followers have submitted their solutions for noteworthy additions to the ever-evolving exhibit. Following evaluation by the ITHF’s Black Historical past Committee, a number of fan submissions have been added together with the committee’s alternatives.
The 16 additions for 2023 embrace present stars corresponding to American Frances Tiafoe and Kenya’s Angella Okutoyi, alongside American legends like administrator Rodney Harmon, WTA champion Renee Blount and former Netherlands Davis Cup captain Stanley Franker.
“The Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame is happy to acknowledge these new additions to Breaking Boundaries,” mentioned Katrina Adams, chair of the ITHF’s Black Tennis Historical past Committee. “Via this exhibit, the ITHF is doing important work in preserving these people’ historical past, and sharing their tales of inspiration with the subsequent era. We’re grateful for the great reception and plenty of fan submissions to Breaking Boundaries prior to now yr.”
Coming February 27: Serving Herself: The Life and Occasions of Althea Gibson.
In collaboration with the Nationwide Archives and Nationwide Archives Basis, the ITHF will host Professor Ashley Brown to debate her new guide Serving Herself: The Life and Occasions of Althea Gibson on Monday, February 27.
The occasion can be held within the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame museum’s USTA Wing, with tickets on sale now for $26 at tennisfame.com/serving-herself-lecture. Attendees are inspired to take part in a reception with mild meals and beverage beginning at 6:00 p.m., adopted by a lecture and guide signing. The lecture can even be streamed dwell by the Nationwide Archives.
In her complete biography, Brown narrates the general public profession and personal struggles of Corridor of Famer Althea Gibson. From her begin enjoying paddle tennis on the streets of Harlem as a youngster to her 11 Grand Slam titles to her skilled golf profession, Gibson turned essentially the most completed Black sportswoman of the mid-twentieth century. In her unprecedented athletic profession, she was the primary African-American to win titles at Wimbledon, and what’s now generally known as the French Open and US Open.
Based mostly on intensive archival work and oral histories, Serving Herself units Gibson’s life and decisions towards the backdrop of the Nice Migration, Jim Crow racism, the combination of American sports activities, the civil rights motion, the Chilly Struggle and second wave feminism.
Ashley Brown is at present an Assistant Professor and Allan H. Selig Chair within the Historical past of Sport and Society on the College of Wisconsin-Madison. Professor Brown’s article “Swinging for the State Division: American Ladies Tennis Gamers in Diplomatic Goodwill Excursions, 1941-1959” was honored by the North American Society for Sport Historical past in 2015 and was subsequently revealed within the Journal of Sport Historical past. The Journal of African American Historical past has additionally revealed her scholarship.
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