Arthur Ashe
A tennis champion who broke the sport's color barrier and used his quiet voice to fight for civil rights and AIDS awareness.
1943–1993 (age 50)·American tennis player·Birthday: July 10·The Silent Generation
Biography
Arthur Ashe wielded a tennis racket with a grace that belied a fierce competitive spirit, but his legacy was forged far beyond the baseline. In 1968, he became the first Black man to win the U.S. Open, a triumph that announced his arrival as a force in a predominantly white sport. His Wimbledon victory in 1975 cemented his status, but Ashe was never content with just athletic glory. A thoughtful and dignified activist, he faced apartheid protests, fought for educational access, and confronted the tennis establishment over equity. His second act was perhaps his most courageous: after contracting HIV from a blood transfusion during heart surgery, he became a public advocate for AIDS research and patients' rights, founding a foundation before his death at 49. Ashe remains a symbol of intellect, principle, and profound courage under pressure.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Arthur was born in 1943, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Arthur Was Born
The biggest hits of 1943
#1 Movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Best Picture
Casablanca
Arthur's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1943Born
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1948Started school
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1956Became a teenager
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Could drive
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1961Could vote
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Turned 21
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1973Turned 30
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 40
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 50
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
Key Achievements
- Became the first Black male player to win the U.S. Open (1968) and Wimbledon (1975).
- Was the first Black player selected for the U.S. Davis Cup team, later serving as its captain.
- Founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.
Did You Know?
He was denied a visa to play in the South African Open for years due to his anti-apartheid stance, finally receiving one in 1973.
He published a three-volume historical work titled 'A Hard Road to Glory: A History of the African-American Athlete.'
The main stadium at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows is named Arthur Ashe Stadium in his honor.
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
