Althea Gibson: The Wimbledon Champion Who Beat The Odds

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

History Hit

Society, Sex, Scandal, Education, History

4.8 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 18 July 2023

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Everyone leaves a legacy.
0:02.2	But a legacy can change over time as new generations
0:05.6	re-examine old preputations.
0:07.6	From Wundery and Gohanger podcasts, I'm F4Hersh.
0:11.0	I'm Peter Frankapan, and in a brand new series,
0:14.0	we're exploring the lives of some of the biggest characters in history,
0:17.4	from Napoleon to Picasso.
0:19.2	And asking, what does their past tell us about our present?
0:23.4	This is legacy.
0:24.7	Follow now wherever you get your podcasts.
0:30.0	Hello, my lovely Vitrixters, it's me, Kate Lister.
0:36.4	I am here once again to talk to you about all manner of historical fabulousness.
0:43.4	I'm so glad you're here.
0:45.2	But before we can get on with things, you know what's coming?
0:48.6	I have to give you the fair dude's warning.
0:52.1	So here it is.
0:53.6	This is an adult podcast spoken by adults to other adults in an adulty way,
0:57.2	about a range of adult things.
0:59.3	And you should be an adult too.
1:03.3	I don't think this one's particularly rude,
1:05.0	but can bet your bottom dollar and there'll be some swearing involved.
1:08.9	And you just might not want to listen to that today.
	...

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