This Day in Black History: Aug. 25, 1927

Tennis pioneer Althea Gibson was born in Silver, South Carolina on Aug. 25, 1927. Though segregation left few opportunities for African-Americans to shine in the tennis world, Gibson went on to become the first Black woman to win major championships including the French Open, the United States Open and Wimbledon in the 1950s, helping to break the color barrier in the sport. Gibson also dabbled in golf, becoming the first African-American woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour in 1964. After retiring from golf in 1978, she taught as tennis instructor. On Sept. 28, 2003, she passed away from illness at the age of 76.

BET Sports News - Get the latest news and information about African-Americans in sports including weekly recaps, celebrity news and photos of your favorite Black athletes. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.