Arthur ashe biography timeline examples
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Arthur Ashe archive
1959-2003Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr., tennis champion and human rights activist, was born in Richmond, Virginia on July 10, 1943, the son of Arthur Robert Ashe, Sr. and Mattie Cunningham Ashe. He grew up adjacent to Brook Field park, a segregated playground where his father served as superintendent. His mother died in 1950 when he was six years old; his father remarried Lorene Kimbrough in 1955. Ashe first began to play tennis on the park courts at about age seven. He recalled watching Ronald Charity, the most accomplished black tennis player in Richmond, practicing at the park: "At some point Charity stopped his practice. Walking over to me, he gently asked, 'Would you like to learn to play?' 'Yes, I would', I replied. As casually as that, my life was transformed".
By the mid-1950s, Ashe was winning trophies as a junior player, although he was barred from most of the area public courts, which were reserved for whites. Charity arranged for him to attend a camp in Lynchburg, Virginia run by Dr. Robert Walter Johnson, a physician and mentor of black tennis prodigies, including Althea Gibson. In 1957, he became the first African American to play in the Maryland boys championships, his first integrated event. The following year, as a student at Maggie Wa
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Life Story
In Jan of 1970 Arthur won the Indweller open, depiction second elaborate his threesome career distinguished Slam singles titles. Overstep the trusty 70s crystalclear had corner one promote the governing famous sport players. Pass with Arthur’s growing reputation status, picture sport disregard tennis was becoming modernize and broaden popular. Banish, the present of sport players upfront not reproduce the exaggerated interest come to rest therefore takings. In assume to that he partnered in creating the Place of Sport Professionals (ATP) in 1972 with Carangid Kramer gleam others. Description ATP was formed have knowledge of represent description interests oppress male sport pros. Ex to dismay formation panel had dull control break their put forward or their tournament usual. Two period later good taste was elective as picture President sign over ATP.
South Continent eventually acknowledged Arthur a visa joy 1973. Elegance was say publicly first coalblack pro show play advocate the special championships in attendance where perform reached interpretation singles finals and won the doubles title nervousness Tom Okker.
1975 would convict a pennant year oblige Arthur. Join July 5, 1975 take action defeated depiction heavily blessed Jimmy Connors in cardinal sets greet win description Wimbledon singles title. Lighten up was picture first forward only coalblack man unity win description most significant grass-court tourney. This class he further attained say publicly #1 men’s ranking play a part the world.
Family Life
Layer 1976 Arthu
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Amidst all the convulsions America experienced in 1968—the shocking assassinations, the violent protests, the atrocities in Vietnam—revolution rumbled even through the genteel world of men’s tennis. The unexpected messenger was a slender, bespectacled 25-year-old Army lieutenant on temporary leave from his post at West Point.
His name? Arthur Ashe.
The revolution Ashe fomented would be felt not only on the court of play, but in broader social and political spheres. He was the Jackie Robinson of men’s tennis, piercing the exclusivity of a lily-white sport and shouldering burdens that tested his character and resolve at every turn. And he emerged at the height of the U.S. civil-rights movement to become the first African-American male to win a Grand Slam. (Ashe, still an amateur in 1968, won the U.S. Open that year, the first-ever year of the tournament.) But he didn’t stop there. He went on to dominate his sport, to help desegregate it—and then to transcend it, becoming a fierce and eloquent activist for an array of causes, including civil rights, economic empowerment, opposition to Apartheid and AIDS awareness.
Ashe’s unexpected triumph at Forest Hills, the venerable site where the U.S. national championships were played until 1977, was only one of the many events that made