Wed Sep 25, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Althea & Arthur: Film Screening and Panel Discussion

Location: Starlight Room

This show has passed

This sports documentary chronicles the impact Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe had both in tennis and in advancing civil rights in America during a time of racism and segregation. It also explores the dichotomy of Ashe's legacy as a revered civil rights icon and "citizen of the world," and Gibson's largely forgotten accomplishments not only on the tennis court, where she won 11 total Grand Slam titles, but in professional golf. Panel discussion follows with WTA tour pro tennis players Leslie Allen and Kyle Copeland Muse, who are both featured in the documentary.

Background

“Althea & Arthur” is a one-hour documentary that explores the lives and impacts of the first African Americans to break the color barrier of international tennis.

Narrated by Tony Award-winning actress Phylicia Rashad, the documentary chronicles the impact Gibson and Ashe had both in tennis and in advancing civil rights in America during a time of racism and segregation. It also explores the dichotomy of Ashe’s legacy as a revered civil rights icon and “citizen of the world,” and Gibson’s largely forgotten accomplishments not only on the tennis court, where she won 11 total Grand Slam titles, but in professional golf.

Among the iconic voices featured throughout the documentary celebrating Ashe and Gibson are those of:

  • Venus Williams, 23-time Grand Slam champion
  • Billie Jean King, 39-time Grand Slam champion
  • Katrina Adams, former USTA president and CBS Sports Network analyst
  • Johnnie Ashe, Arthur’s brother
  • Angela Buxton, Gibson’s doubles partner in the 1956 French Open and Wimbledon titles
  • Cecil Harris, author of “Charging The Net – A History of Blacks in Tennis”

“Althea & Arthur” also highlights a group of girls from the One Love Tennis group in Wilmington, North Carolina, the city that Gibson called home during her high school years. The group led a successful campaign to build an Althea Gibson memorial at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in New York, which was recently unveiled at this year’s Open.

Panelists:

Kyle Copeland Muse: A native of Montclair NJ , Kyle played #1 for Pepperdine University. After graduation she competed on the WTA pro tour at Wimbledon, U.S., Australian and French Opens and reached a top 200 world ranking in singles and 36 in doubles. Kyle resides in Morris Township with her husband Eric.

Leslie Allen: Leslie is an NCAA & WTA champion, and had a career high singles ranking of # 17 in the world. A graduate of University of Southern California, she was the first African American woman to win a major tournament on the WTA pro tour since Althea Gibson’s U.S. Open victory. Leslie resides in Morristown.

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Mayo Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, presents a wide range of programs that entertain, enrich, and educate the diverse population of the region and enhance the economic vitality of Northern New Jersey.

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