In this July 5, 1975, file photo, Arthur Ashe defeats Jimmy Connors in the men's singles final at Wimbledon in London. Artifacts reflecting the public and private life of Ashe are going on the auction block Dec. 8, 2015, at Christie's. (AP Photo/File)
Arthur Ashe, a former world No. 1 tennis player and humanitarian, was born July 10, 1943, in Richmond, Virginia.
Ashe began his tennis career on the courts of his hometown. After graduating from high school, he honed his skills with a tennis scholarship at the University of California, Los Angeles. He rose to national attention in 1965 when he won the NCAA singles and doubles championships, and helped lead UCLA to the team title.
A trailblazing tennis champion, Ashe broke barriers as the first Black man to win the U.S. Open (1968), Australian Open (1970) and Wimbledon (1975).
Top-seeded Arthur Ashe returns a shot from Terry Addison of Australia during their match in the National Clay Court tennis tournament in Indianapolis, Ind., on Tuesday, July 22, 1969. Ashe, from Gum Springs, Va., easily won the second-round match, 6-0, 6-1. (AP Photo)Top seeded player Arthur Ashe at National Clay Court tennis championships display powerful serves at Milwaukee on July 17, 1968. (AP Photo/Paul Shane)In this July 5, 1975, file photo, Arthur Ashe holds the men’s singles trophy after defeating fellow American Jimmy Conners in the final of the men’s singles championship at the All England Lawn Tennis Championship in Wimbledon, London. (AP Photo/File)Arthur Ashe, Richmond, Virginia, became the first African American to play on an American Davis Cup team in Denver, Colorado on Sept. 15, 1963. Ashe won his singles match against Orlando Bracamonte, of the Venezuelan Davis Cup team, 6-1, 6-1, 6-0. The American Davis Cup team made a complete sweep of the matches winning all five. The games were played at the Cherry Hills Country Club, Denver, Colorado. (AP Photo/Robert Scott)Arthur Ashe of the U.S. Davis Cup team reaches for a cup of water after his winning debut on the American Davis Cup team in Denver, Colo., Sept. 15, 1963. Ashe defeated Orlando Bracamonte of the Venezuelan Davis Cup team, 6-1, 6-1, 6-0. He is the first black man to play on an American Davis Cup team. (AP Photo/Robert Scott)
His legacy extends far beyond the court. Ashe was a powerful voice for civil rights, global human rights and HIV/AIDS awareness after contracting the virus from a blood transfusion in 1983. In 1992, after his tennis career, Ashe revealed that he was HIV-positive. Known for his dignity, intellect and activism, Ashe used his platform to challenge apartheid in South Africa and advocate for health equity.
Ashe died Feb. 6, 1993, at age 49, but he remains a lasting symbol of excellence and courage in both sports and public life.
Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC.
