This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian Made accessible through a grant from the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation and Photo Friends
Used in the Exhibit: Play by Play - A Century of L.A. Sports Photography, 1889-1989. In 1950, three years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color line with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Althea Gibson became the first African-American to break tennis' color barrier when she competed in the U.S. Championships. In the latter part of the decade, she dominated the circuit, winning the U.S. and Wimbledon singles titles in 1957 and 1958. But amateur tennis didn't pay the bills, so Gibson turned to professional golf and became the first African-American on the LPGA tour. Gibson met with less success in golf, never winning an official tourney. Photograph caption dated March 18, 1961 reads, "Althea Gibson, former world's amateur tennis champion, has turned to the fairways and is shown teeing off at Sepulveda Golf course recently. Joining her is Mrs. Alyce Goens, Nina Curtis and Connie Roeca, all of Sepulveda Golf Course Women's Club."
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print : b&w ; 26 x 21 cm. Photographic prints
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