SERVING HERSELF

An in-depth look at how racism and homophobia challenged the life of a sports superstar.

Brown, a scholar of African American, women’s, and sports history, makes her book debut with a thoroughly researched, insightful biography of Althea Gibson (1927-2003), the first African American inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, whose prowess extended to golf as well. Drawing on Gibson’s prolific media coverage, autobiographies, and archival sources, Brown creates a palpable portrait of an aggressive, ambitious woman whose race made her an outsider in the White-dominated sports world and whose gender nonconformity—refusal to meet expectations about how a Black woman should look and behave—made her a social misfit. She preferred jeans, T-shirts, and shorts to tennis skirts; she kept her personal life private, inciting gossip about lesbianism. Born on a South Carolina farm, Gibson grew up in Harlem, where she played “any kind of ball” she could find. She was tall, strong, and ruthlessly competitive. Her innate talent was honed by coaches and mentors, and her career was supported by influential benefactors and patrons. They pushed her to finish high school, take a scholarship to college, and work on her demeanor. Brown recounts all of Gibson’s games, from her first tournament win in 1946; her 1950 debut at Forest Hills, “a shrine to tennis”; and her debut at the storied courts of Wimbledon in 1951. By 1958, Gibson was an undisputed star on the amateur circuit, winning Wimbledon, the U.S. Nationals, the French Championship, and five Grand Slam Singles. Supremely confident, she made forays into singing (including on The Ed Sullivan Show), acting, exhibition matches on tour with the Harlem Globetrotters, and golf, “the last American sport to admit Blacks on the elite level.” Though the narrative is overwhelmed by details of every game, Brown sensitively examines Gibson’s refusal to be seen as “a representative” of her race, offering context for her views on social justice, women’s rights, and African American causes.

A perceptive look at a driven woman.