Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, Althea Gibson overcame unbelievable odds to achieve international acclaim and success. Her journey from Harlem to Wimbledon reveals her strength of character and her remarkable composure in the face of racial prejudice. She built the foundation on which Venus and Serena Williams and Tiger Woods now stand. The life of Althea Gibson is much more than a story about a successful tennis champion. It is a story about education, opportunity, hope, perseverance, and the responsibility we all have for helping those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Althea Gibson was born on August 25, 1927, in the small town of Silver, South Carolina. Her family moved to Harlem in New York City when she was 3. Her family was on welfare. She was a client of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. She had trouble in school and was often truant. She ran away from home frequently. Tennis, which first came to the United States in the late 19th century, by the middle of the 20th Century had become part of a culture of health and fitness.”