Sports

Arthur Ashe

Born July 10, 1943 · Richmond, Virginia · Joined the Ancestors February 6, 1993

The first Black man to win the U.S. Open, Australian Open, and Wimbledon — Arthur Ashe broke tennis's color barrier with grace, intelligence, and a quiet fire for justice.

Known For

First Black man to win Wimbledon

Activism

Anti-apartheid, AIDS awareness

Honor

Stadium at the U.S. Open named for him

Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. grew up in segregated Richmond, Virginia, where he was barred from playing on public tennis courts because of his race. Undeterred, he developed his game under the mentorship of Dr. Robert Walter Johnson and became the first Black player recruited to the U.S. Davis Cup team.

In 1968, he won the inaugural U.S. Open — the first Black man to do so. In 1970, he won the Australian Open, and in 1975, he stunned the world by defeating Jimmy Connors to win Wimbledon.

Beyond tennis, Ashe was a powerful voice against apartheid in South Africa and founded the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health. After contracting HIV from a blood transfusion during heart surgery, he became a leading advocate for AIDS awareness and education before his death in 1993. The main stadium at the U.S. Open bears his name.