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Althea Gibson (1927–2003) was an American tennis player and professional golfer, and one of the first Black athletes to cross the color line of international tennis. On May 27, 1956, she became the first African American to win a Grand Slam title (the French Championships). The following year she won both Wimbledon and the US Nationals (precursor of the US Open), then won both again in 1958 and was voted Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in both years. In all, she won 11 Grand Slam tournaments: five singles titles, five doubles titles, and one mixed doubles title. In the early 1960s she also became the first Black player to compete on the Women's Professional Golf Tour.Photograph credit: Fred Palumbo (New York World-Telegram and The Sun); restored by Adam Cuerden