Born: July 10, 1943, Richmond, VA

Education: UCLA, B.A., 1966

Died: February 6, 1993, New York, NY

The first black winner of the men's US Open (1968), Australian Open (1970), and Wimbledon (1975), the latter ranking him Number One in the World, Ashe was inducted to the International Tennis Hall of Fame (1985). “Arthur grew up in segregated Virginia, and that set the tone for his passion,” his widow said. “It was not just that people should be the best they could be. It was also going back and helping communities ... move forward and be able to succeed” (New York Daily News, 2003).

Ashe embraced civil rights activism. When a heart disorder forced him to retire from tennis in 1979, he contracted HIV through surgery. Still, he achieved distinction as an author and lecturer; advocate of social justice and world peace; and activist in campaigns to end South African apartheid, American racism, sexism, and poverty. He donated a major share of his income to inner-city school programs as well as to AIDS research and education. A large sculpted statue of Ashe today stands on Richmond's Monument Avenue, which is reserved for Confederate war heroes. The statue's location sparked political controversy, but it was not relocated. It honors Ashe's “fight against racism in sports” and struggles for an integrated society.