The world of tennis in the 1940s wasn't made for someone of Althea Gibson's background.
She was the descendent of slaves, and grew up in South Carolina with the nearest tennis courts available to an African American at that time being hundreds of miles away.
How did Althea Gibson go on to become the first African American to win a Grand Slam title? What challenges did she face on and off the court? And what's her legacy today?
Kate is joined by Ashley Brown, author of Serving Herself: The Life and Times of Althea Gibson, to find out.
This episode was edited by Stuart Beckwith, and produced by Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
If you're enjoying Betwixt please vote for us at the British Podcast Awards here. It would mean the world to us!
Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Kate Lister, Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Mary Beard and more.
Get 50% off your first 3 months with code BETWIXT. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up at historyhit.com/subscribe.
Tattoos
Heartthrobs
Hacks, Hitler & the Hotel Imperial
Sex in Ancient China
Indecent Exposure
Gothic Fiction
Seances
Ghosts
The Grisly Deaths of Kings & Queens
Black Georgians
Henrietta Maria: The Most Hated Queen Consort?
Serial Killers & Misogyny
Phobias & Manias
Black Victorians
Bad King James VI & I
Private Members’ Clubs
The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe
Forbidden Books
Women in Power
Con Artists
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Gone Medieval
After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal
Not Just the Tudors
Dan Snow’s History Hit
History Extra podcast