However, while Ashe’s name is well known the world over for his contributions to the sport and the civil rights movement, Gibson has remained largely forgotten in the discussion of the history of black athletes integrating sports.
That is why CBS Sports Network is airing a new documentary titled Althea & Arthur that explores the importance of the two athletes to the sports world and civil rights movement, as well as the dichotomy of why their legacies are remembered differently.
Tony Award-winning actress Phylicia Rashad chronicles the athletes’ lives combined with interviews from Venus Williams, Billie Jean King, Katrina Adams, Johnnie Ashe and others.
In addition to giving an overview of Gibson and Ashe’s impact, the documentary highlights a group of girls from One Love Tennis in Wilmington, North Carolina, who led the campaign to build an Althea Gibson memorial at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center.
The one-hour documentary airs on Monday, February 18th at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on CBS Sports Network.
