On July 6, 1957, Althea Gibson became the first African American to win the women’s singles title at Wimbledon, defeating Darlene Hard with a score of 6-3, 6-2. The victory marked a significant milestone in the sport, as Gibson had become the first Black player to compete in the tournament only six years prior, in 1951. With the win, she officially became the top-ranked female tennis player in the world.

The Wimbledon title was the centerfold of a dominant 1957 campaign for Gibson. Following her success in London, she secured the U.S. Open championship in September. Her performance throughout the year earned her the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year title in 1957, a distinction she repeated in 1958. These accolades followed years of Gibson competing in the American Tennis Association, where she won 10 consecutive national titles before being permitted to integrate into the broader Grand Slam circuit.

During the 1950s, Gibson’s statistical output established her as a premier figure in international athletics. She won a total of 56 singles and doubles titles during the decade, including 11 major titles. Her major championship record includes five singles titles, five doubles titles, and one mixed doubles title at the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open.

Gibson’s achievement at Wimbledon preceded other major milestones in the sport's integration. It would be another 18 years before Arthur Ashe became the first African American man to win the men’s singles title at Wimbledon, defeating Jimmy Connors in 1975.

Born in South Carolina and raised in Harlem, Gibson's transition from local paddle tennis to international championships reshaped the demographics of professional tennis. Her 1957 victory at Centre Court remains a documented turning point in the history of the tournament and the professional era of the game.