<P> Althea Gibson ( August 25 , 1927 -- September 28 , 2003 ) was an American tennis player and professional golfer , and the first black athlete to cross the color line of international tennis . In 1956 , she became the first person of color to win a Grand Slam title ( the French Open ) . The following year she won both Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals ( precursor of the U.S. Open ) , then won both again in 1958 , and was voted Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in both years . In all , she won 11 Grand Slam tournaments , including six doubles titles , and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the International Women 's Sports Hall of Fame . `` She is one of the greatest players who ever lived , '' said Robert Ryland , a tennis contemporary and former coach of Venus and Serena Williams . `` Martina could n't touch her . I think she 'd beat the Williams sisters . '' In the early 1960s she also became the first black player to compete on the women 's professional golf tour . </P>
<P> Althea Gibson ( August 25 , 1927 -- September 28 , 2003 ) was an American tennis player and professional golfer , and the first black athlete to cross the color line of international tennis . In 1956 , she became the first person of color to win a Grand Slam title ( the French Open ) . The following year she won both Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals ( precursor of the U.S. Open ) , then won both again in 1958 , and was voted Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in both years . In all , she won 11 Grand Slam tournaments , including six doubles titles , and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the International Women 's Sports Hall of Fame . `` She is one of the greatest players who ever lived , '' said Robert Ryland , a tennis contemporary and former coach of Venus and Serena Williams . `` Martina could n't touch her . I think she 'd beat the Williams sisters . '' In the early 1960s she also became the first black player to compete on the women 's professional golf tour . </P>
first black tennis player to win a grand slam
first black tennis player to win a grand slam
Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson