1953 - Althea Gibson

By dbloom

  • Invisible Man - National Book award

    Ralph Ellison is one of three recipients of the 1953 National Book Award.

  • AG graduates from Florida A&M College

  • Assistant PE teacher at Lincoln University

  • Baton Rouge Bus Boycott

    Considered the first time blacks organized in the south to challenge segregation.

  • Southeastern Junior Tennis Tournament-Greensboro, NC; sponsored by Windsor Tennis Club June 25, 26, 27

    AG is defeated by an unknown opponent in an exhibition match. This was likely an ATA sponsored event.
    Alabama Tribune 10 July

  • Public housing segregation ban

    Federal court judge William Steckler rules that federal projects financed with federal funds cannot deny occupancy based on race.

  • Western Tennis Tournament - Milwaukee, 66th annual

    Women's singles:
    3. AG wins. unk score and opponent
    4. AG defeats Joan Modesto; 6-2, 6-4
    S. AG defeats Ethel Norton; 6-1, 6-2
    F. Thelma Long defeats AG; 7-5, 6-3
    Women Doubles:
    S. Thelma/Anita Kanter defeat AG/Joan Ross-Dilley
    Atlanta Daily World 11 July, Chicago Tribune

  • National Clay Court Championship (43rd annual)-River Forest Club, Chicago IL

    Women's singles:
    1 or 2. AG d. Sara Mae Turper; 6-3, 6-3
    3. AG d. Gertrude Kornfeld; 6-3, 6-1
    Q. AG d. Thelma Long; 5-7, 6-4, 6-0
    S. AG d. Anita Kantor; 8-6, 4-6, 13-11
    F. Maureen Connolly d. AG; 6-4, 6-4

  • Pennsylvania & Eastern States Women's Tournament - Haverford, PA (53rd annual) at Merion Cricket Club

    Women's singles:
    1. AG d. Philo Conn; 6-2, 6-0
    2. AG d. Connie Bowan; 6-2, 6-1
    3. AG d. Judy Devlin; 6-1, 6-3
    Q. AG d. Bunny Vosters; 6-4, 6-4
    S. Louise Brough d. AG; 7-5, 6-1
    Philadelphia Inquirer 22 July; Shamokin News Dispatch 20 July; Baltimore Sun 23 July; Lancaster Sunday News 26 July

  • Red Rose Tournament - Lancaster, PA (15th annual)

    Women's singles:
    1. AG d. Alice Gottshall; 6-0, 6-0
    2. AG d. Darlene Grove; 6-2, 6-1
    Q. Bye (?) not scheduled to compete.
    S. AG d. Joanne Wengar; 6-0, 6-0
    F. AG d. Connie Bowan: 6-0, 6-0.
    Women's doubles:
    F. AG/June Honaman defeat June Know/Betty Smith; 6-1, 6-1
    Intelligencer Journal 29 & 30 July and 01 & 03 Aug; Lancaster New Era 31 July.

  • Eastern Grass Court Tournament - Orange, NJ

    1. AG d. Joan Ross Dilley; 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
    2. Doris Hart d. AG; 6-3, 6-2 Women's Doubles: 1 or 2. AG/Ethel Norton d.Lucille Davidson/Doris Popple; 6-1, 6-0 Q. AG/EN d. Julia Sampson/Anita Kantor; 6-3, 6-3 S. Helen Fletcher/Jean Q. Rinkel d. AG/EN; 7-5, 6-1 Dallas Morning News Aug 5 & 6 Boston Herald Aug 5, San Antonio Light Aug 5 & 7

  • National Doubles-Longwood Cricket Club

    AG's application was accepted and she was partnered with Ethel Norton. Norton defaulted before the first round.

  • Lorraine Williams, 15, is first black to win a national championship in the girls 15 and under

    Lorraine is widely viewed as successor to AG

  • American Tennis Association Tournament, 36th - Daytona Beach, FL Bethune Cookman College

    Women's singles: (7th straight win for AG tying Ora Washington for consecutive ATA National wins).
    2. AG defeats Billie Pressley; 6-1, 6-0
    F. AG defeats Mary Etta Fine, 6-1, 6-1
    Mixed doubles
    F. AG/Whirlwind win

  • National Tennis Tournament-Forest Hills

    Women's singles:
    1. Ag d. Susan Bralower; 6-3, 6-1
    2. AG d. Lucille Davidson; 6-3, 6-1
    3. AG d. Helen Fletcher; 4-6, 7-5, 7-5
    Q-Maureen Connolly d. AG; 6-2, 6-3
    Mixed Doubles:
    1. AG/Oscar Johnson d. Helen Fletcher/Roger Becker; 6-3, 13-15, 6-3.
    2.Maureen Connolly/Lewis Hoad d. AG/OJ; 6-3, 6-4

  • Hulan Jack election

    West Indies native, Hulan Jack was elected Borough President of Manhattan, making him one of the nation's most important African-American elected officials. Jack lives in Harlem.

  • 50 Negro soldiers arrested over segregation incident

    During the Thanksgiving holiday 50 black soldiers leaving Fort Jackson (Columbia, SC) for the holiday were arrested when one of the soldiers sat next to a white woman on the city bus. Subsequently, the army asked the justice dept to investigate the incident.

  • VP Richard Nixon world tour report

    Nixon reports, "Every time we discriminate against negroes in the US we lose another fight against communism in Asia."

  • Eastern Lawn Tennis Association ranking

    AG is ranked number one making her the first black woman to receive a nationwide ranking. Tampa Tribune and NYT 12/31/1953