CELEBRATING THE LEGACIES OF JOE LOUIS, JACKIE ROBINSON AND ALTHEA GIBSON

American Champions andBARRIER BREAKERS
oday, athletes of all races and backgrounds
can compete and even become champions inany sport they want. Yet there was a time
when African Americans couldn’t play
many sports recreationally, let alone compete inthem professionally.
American Champions and Barrier Breakers
celebrates the lives, athletic achievements andlegacies of Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson andAlthea Gibson and explores the character traits
that led them to excel in their respective sports
and shatter racial barriers. Their actions helped toopen opportunities in professional sports for all
minority athletes who followed.

THE COLOR BARRIER

Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson andAlthea Gibson became heroes
and role models to millions ofAmericans. Their influence went
beyond breaking barriers in theirprimary sports. Each of themalso had a deep love for the gameof golf. All three used their fameand courage in the face of untold
adversity to remove obstacles toblacks on golf courses and help
athletes of all races gain accessto professional careers.
Becoming a champion athlete
takes more than just the ambition
to be the best you can be. It takes

hard work,
discipline andperseverance.
For AfricanAmerican athletes before thecivil rights movement, it alsomeant confronting an obstaclethat at times seemed impossible
to overcome – racism.

AS YOU READ...

Imagine yourself living in theyears prior to the civil rights era.
Would you be able to react asLouis, Robinson and Gibson did
as they fought for equality?

American Champions and Barrier Breakers —— 2-3
Joe Louis: The Brown Bomber ———————— 4-5
Breaking Barriers in the World of Golf ———— 6-7
Timeline of African Americans in Golf ————— 8-9

Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers ————— 10-11
Going to Bat for Golf: Changing Attitudes ——— 12-13
Althea Gibson: Energy to Spare ———————— 14-15
The Exhibit and The Mystery Spot —————— 16

2 American Champions and Barrier Breakers

“The right of every American to first-class citizenship isthe most important issue of our time.”
Jackie Robinson

hen Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson andAlthea Gibson were young, ambitious
athletes, some parts of the country had“Jim Crow” laws that legalized thesegregation of schools, hotels, trains,restaurants, buses, bathrooms and even drinking
fountains.
Segregated means separated. In the southern
United States, blacks and whites were often notallowed to use the same buildings or facilities untillaws were overturned in the 1950s and 1960s.

AfricanAmericansin Florida
sit in therear of thebus in 1956.

Signs such as this one, preventing anyone
other than white people from entering atheater, were once commonly seen in
many states.

Look through the newspaper for
pictures and articles that illustrate
one of the founding principles ofthis country—that people have therights to life, liberty and the pursuitof happiness.

THE FIGHT TO RIGHT WRONGSThe Civil Rights Act of 1964
outlawed discrimination against
African Americans. By then,Louis, Robinson and Gibson had
already made major strides inovercoming and even helping tochange discriminatory practices inboxing, baseball, tennis and golf.
Many believe their activism also
raised awareness of the inequalities
in America at that time – injusticethat contradicted the second

Star athletes are always in the
spotlight. Everything they say and dois reported in the news and on TV.

sentence of the Declaration of
Independence. This sentence has
been a guiding principle forcitizens of the United States.
We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are createdequal, that they are endowed bytheir Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are
Life, Liberty and the pursuit ofHappiness.

Do you think starathletes have a
responsibility to
behave in certain
ways?

What do you think astar athlete would
say is the mostdifficult part ofbeing famous?

What do you think
is a valuablecharacter trait fora famous athlete?

American Champions and Barrier Breakers 3

(1914-1981)

oe Louis was the world heavyweightboxing champion from 1937 to 1948. He
had 25 successful title defenses during that
period. In 2005, Louis was named thegreatest heavyweight of all time by theInternational Boxing Research Organization and
was No. 1 on The Ring magazine’s list of “100Greatest Punchers of All-Time.”
Louis’ life had “punch” outside the ring as well.
He was the first African American to be regarded
as a national hero for his historic win against theGerman boxer Max Schmeling in 1938 and his
influence on the civil rights movement.

Born on May 13, 1914 in
Lafayette, Ala., Joseph Louis
Barrow was the seventh of eightchildren of Munroe Barrow and
Lily Reese. His father died when
Joe was young so his mothertook in washing to support thefamily. When Joe was seven, hismother married Patrick Brooks.

Life in Alabama
was extremely
difficult for a
black family
trying to makea living. An
organization ofwhite men called the Ku Klux
Klan set fire to crosses in front ofAfricanAmerican
homes.
They
dressed inwhite robes
and pointed
hoods,
terrorizing
families andcausingviolence.

During the Great Depression of
the 1930s, Louis’ stepfather lost
his job. Joe and his brothers
shined shoes, ran errands and soldnewspapers before and after
school to help out the family.
To keep her son off the streets andaway from bad influences, Joe’s
mother scraped together money
for weekly violin lessons, but Joe
used the 50 cents to join the
Brewster Recreation Center in
Detroit, where he took up boxing.
In 1993, Joe Louis became the first
professional boxer to be honoredwith a U.S. commemorative stamp.
The issue date marked the 55th
anniversary of his 1938 fight in which
he knocked out his opponent, Max
Schmeling, in the first round.

In 1926, shaken by the Ku Klux
Klan’s threats, Louis’ family
moved to Detroit, Mich., for a
fresh start at a better life.

Replace the missing vowels to complete this paragraph.

In the d_ys before refr_g_r_tion, l_rge bl_cks of _ce w_r_ d_liv_red
to p_ _ple’s h_m_s. One of the j_bs Joe L_ _is h_d was w_rk_ng
as an _ss_st_nt to an _ce-w_gon dr_v_r. Lo_ _s said l_ter thatc_rry_ng h_ _vy ice bl_cks h_lp_d d_v_lop his sh_ _lder m_scl_s.

4 American Champions and Barrier Breakers

Fearing that his mother would
discover where the “violin money”
was going, Joe dropped theBarrow from his name and began
boxing as Joe Louis. Interestingly,
once she found out, his motherencouraged him to stick withboxing, seeing it as a chance forhim to make something of himself.
How much money did Joe’s
weekly violin lessons cost?
To find out, add the two
identical coins.

“Lots of things things [are] wrong with America, but
Hitler ainʼt going to fix them.”ouis’ first professional fight was on July 4,
1934. Within 12 months, he had knocked out
six of the top boxers in the country.
His first professional loss was in 1936, when he wasbeaten by German boxer Max Schmeling. Two years
later, Louis met Schmeling again and knocked him
out in the first round.

The 1938 fight against
Schmeling made Louis anational hero.

Weigh-in with Schmeling in 1938. The fight washeld at a sold-out Yankee Stadium in New York
City. Later in life, Louis and Schmeling became
great friends.

Joe Louis didn’t let barriers prevent
him from becoming a champion. Use
today’s newspaper to find a picture
or story about people working to be
successful. What sentences orquotes describe their perseverance
to make a difference in the world?

Becoming a professional athlete
takes years of hard work, practiceand experience. Perseverance helps
star performers reach their goal.

At that time, Adolf Hitler,
the leader of Nazi Germany,
was attempting to conquer
Europe. Hitler wanted
people to believe that certain
Caucasian Europeans weresuperior to other races.

Louis’ defeat of Schmelingcame to symbolize thestruggle between democracy
and fascism, as well as thefight against racism.
Louis was posthumously awarded
the Congressional Gold Medal in
1982. Congress declared thatLouis “did so much to bolster the
spirit of the American people
during one of the most crucial
times in American history.”

After raising $47,000 at a charity
boxing match benefiting the Navy
Relief Society, Joe Louis joined
the Army in 1942 and wasstationed at Fort Riley, Kan. He
was assigned to the Special
Services Division rather thanbeing sent into combat and helped
recruit African-American soldiers
at a time when military units werestill racially segregated. But
Louis was popular with
Americans of all races.
What goals do you
have for yourself?
What must you do toreach these goals?

What steps can you
take right now tostart moving toward
one of your longterm goals?

Write down your goals
for tomorrow, then fornext week and then forthe month ahead.

American Champions and Barrier Breakers 5

champion like Joe Louis knewthat a great athlete cannot reachhis or her full potential without an
opportunity to practice.
Because African Americans were excluded
from many golf courses and could notcompete in professional tournaments, they
didn’t have the opportunity to make a living
as golfers. Louis wanted to change this.

Find the words in the puzzle
below. Then find the words inthe text.

In 1941, he sponsored the first Joe Louis
Open at Detroit’s Rackham Golf Course
to give the best black golfers a chance tocompete against each other. He played in
the event and even put up the $1,000 prize.

ATHLETEBARRIERSCHAMPIONCOMPETEIn 1952, Louis was invited to play in the
San Diego Open on a sponsor’s exemption,
becoming the first African American toplay in a PGA Tour event.

EXEMPTION
GOLF

OPPORTUNITY
POTENTIAL
PRACTICE

Joe Louis’ fame andperseverance enabled him tobust down the barriers that hadfor years prevented African
Americans from belonging togolf clubs or even playing on
public courses.
White celebrities such as Clark
Gable, Bing Crosby, Fred
Astaire, Bob Hope, Ben Hogan
and others invited Louis to playgolf at many white-only country

clubs throughout the UnitedStates.
In 1940, when blacks couldn’t
join most country clubs, Louis
played in the Eastern Golf
Association Championships at
Langston Golf Course in
Washington, D.C. Two thousandpeople showed up to watch.
Louis financially supported thecareers of several early black

Number these phrases in order to find out about the monument.

6 American Champions and Barrier Breakers

professional golfers such as Bill
Spiller, Ted Rhodes, Howard
Wheeler, Clyde Martin andCharlie Sifford.
The fight to allow blacks to playin Professional Golfers’
Association of America
tournaments started a long, slow
process that finally removed the
Association’s “Caucasian-only”
clause in 1961.

SUPPORTEDD B P R O S N P
N A R E P U O OO R A T P P I T
I R C E O P P E
T I T P R O M N
P E I M T R A T
M R C O U T H I
E S E C N E C A
X K F C I D D L
E W I M T C B C
G O L F Y M L H
A T H L E T E NJoe Louis’ fight against exclusivity in golf made the news. Because Louis could make the news, an outcry over racism reached masses ofAmericans who began to question programs, rules and organizations that excluded people of color. You be the historian. Read thesearticles about the PGA and complete the activity.

s,ule Barring Negro
R
gh
ei
W
to
up
P.G.A. Gro
ts Them to PlayCo-sponsor Wan

know whatwant the people to said.
"I
‚—
P)
(U
14
s
SAN DIEGO, Jan. t boxing
the P.G.A. is," Louier to gete've got another Hitl
Former heavyweighs today"W
History is a chain of champion Joe Louiby."thecauses and effects – termed his battle withnioiat
e touringAssocith, who is with th h, said he
Professional Golfersof his life.
Sm
events cause otheracthe "biggest fight" Negro
golfers at Pebble Beiego
events to happen.
of
D
n
n
ba
Sa
e
in
th
te
be
pi
ld
es
ou
D
w
try ands to play inentrants, he expecttational open tomorrow and would es.
lti
Read the two
the San Diego invihich starts on iron out the difficu
articles and thengolf tournament w
exact
Thursday.
"I do not know the id, "and werecord some causessasituation," Smith g on anyone
and effects of Joe
to competeLouis was invited nament by
can make no rulin in theurtoLouis’ struggle to
0
00
0,
$1
ho wants to playin thewas told that w urnament until I've talked withovercome racism
the sponsors, then not permit
tors of thea P.G.A. ruling didate in P.G.A.- the other six membecommittee
in golf.
t
Negroes to particip
P.G.A. tournamen nsors in San
sored events.
onsp
and with the co-spo
Using the articles toDiego."
leveled ahelp you, match
Louis immediately ident Horton
each CAUSE withblow at P.G.A. pres
Smith.
its EFFECT.

CAUSE

A
B
C
D

Because Louis received a sponsor’s
invitation in 1952,

EFFECT

1

Because Louis fought the PGA rulethat banned African Americans,2

Because Louis vowed to continue
his fight against racial prejudice,4

Because Louis wanted to attract
public attention to racial inequality, 3

E

Even though Spiller and Clark
arrived in San Diego with Louis,

F

Because PGA sponsors were allowed
to invite amateur players as guests, 6

5Americans questioned organizations
that excluded people of color.
Horton Smith predicted that the
PGA would modify its rules.
the ban on African-American
players did not apply to them.

he became the first African
American to play a PGA Tour event.

he played in the tournament despite
Spiller being prevented from playing.
the local PGA committee barredthem from playing.
ANSWERS: A4, B1, C5, D2, E6, F3.

Joe Louis was a champion boxer who faced
barriers when he wanted to play golf. Somegolf clubs also excluded women and peopleof certain religious groups.

But Ban Continues on
AnotheSan Diego Open Golf r Negro Entered in
Tournament

SAN DIEGO, Calif., Jan. 15(AP)‚ The Professional Go
Association today cleare lfers
way for Joe Louis to pla d theinvited amateur in the Sa y as ann Diegoopen tournament Thursda
y.
P.G.A. President Horton
said that the organizatio Smith
law ban against non-Caun's bywould apply, however, in casiansof another Negro, Profesthe casesionalBill Spiller.
Louis said he would pla
y in thetournament, but that he wo
continue his fight "to eli uld
racial prejudice from go minate
last sport in which it nowlf, theexists."Louis thus won the rightin the tournament‚ the firs to playever to do so in a P.G.A. t Negro
sponsored event–but appacofailed at least for the pre rently
his announced effort to gaisent inrights on the links for all Nen equal
groes.
Smith explained that Louiswas approved as one of ' entry
allowed the local sponsoten
invited amateurs exempt rs forfrom
qualification.

He declared the P.G.A. by
and other qualification rul -law
could not be waived in theesof Spiller except through casein the P.G.A. constitutio changesn.
"I am simply applying therules,"
he said.

Is it ever fair to
exclude people
from joining
organizations forany reason?

Smith emphasized that thewould apply to all profes rules
including Spiller, and no sionals,
t simplyagainst the Negro.

"But," he added, "Spiller
play." He added that, asi cannot
de from
the racial issue, Spiller wa
an approved P.G.A. profes s notsional.
Smith, who Louis had cal"another Hitler" for stick led
the P.G.A. rules in the ing tocontroversy, said he bore
feeling against the forme no illr ringchampion.

He declared he would beto play with Joe Louis" if "gladwere paired to play togeththey
the tournament. He predic er in
the P.G.A. at its next annuted thatmeeting would consider theal
Caucasian rule with a vie nonw to its
modification or elimination.
The present controversy
when Louis and Spiller started
another Los Angeles proandfessional, Eural Clark, arrive
Sunday and were told by thedcommittee that a nonwhit local
in the P.G.A. contract woe clause
uld barthem.
Louis opened the challen
fight by declaring his aim gingbring the matter into the was toand at least put a wedge open
P.G.A. non-Negro rule. into the

How might you
have advised
Joe Louis to proceed
in the face of
prejudice?

What role did
newspapers play inchanging attitudes
about racial
discrimination?

American Champions and Barrier Breakers 7

ackie Robinson is famous for breaking Major
League Baseball’s color barrier, but thepower-hitting, base-stealing, slick-fielding
second baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers
was also a champion for civil rights and early
efforts to integrate the game of golf.

In a famous three-hour conversation
on August 28, 1945, Rickey asked
Robinson if he could face the racial
attacks without reacting violently.

He wrote a series of powerful columns in The
Chicago Defender in the early 1960s challenging
racial prejudice and the exclusion of African
Americans from PGA tournaments.
Robinson had achieved fame only after yearsof struggling to pursue a pro-baseball career.
Eventually, his celebrity status offered him thefreedom of playing golf wherever he wished.

Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947,
ending over 50 years of segregated baseball.

When financial difficulties during
his senior year forced Robinson
to leave UCLA, he became an
assistant athletic director in agovernment program fordisadvantaged children.
Robinson started his professional
baseball career with the Kansas

Robinson joined the Army in 1941 and was assigned toa segregated unit in Fort Riley, Kansas. Here, he met
another famous athlete.

Robinson and other qualified black soldiers applied to
an Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Riley, but
their applications were delayed until the famous athlete
protested. When the men eventually entered the OCS,
he and Robinson struck a close friendship.

City Monarchs of the Negro
Leagues in 1945.
That summer, Brooklyn Dodgers
general manager Branch Rickey
made Robinson a stunning offer.
Determined to integrate Major
League Baseball, Rickey was
searching for a great black
ballplayer with the talent andcourage to break baseball’s color
barrier.

Use the code to discover the famous athlete
Jackie met in the army.

=A
=B
=E

10 American Champions and Barrier Breakers

=I
=J
=L

=N
=O
=P

=S
=T
=U

At first, Robinson was shocked at
this request, asking, “Are you
looking for a Negro who is afraid
to fight back?” Rickey replied that
he needed a player “with guts
enough not to fight back.” Afterobtaining a commitment from
Robinson to “turn the other cheek”
to racial antagonism, Rickey agreed
to sign him to a contract for $600 amonth, equal to $7,322 today.
“Jackie, we’ve got no army,” said
Rickey. “There’s virtually nobody
on our side. No owners, noumpires, very few newspapermen.
And I’m afraid that many fanswill be hostile. We’ll be in a toughposition. We can win only if we
can convince the world that I’mdoing this because you’re a greatball player, a fine gentleman.”
Branch Rickey saw “not”
fighting back at racial
antagonism as:a. strengthb. braveryc. cowardly
d. denial
e. both a. and b.
ANSWER: e

Robinson, the youngest of fivechildren, was born on January 31,
1919 into a family of sharecroppers
in Cairo, Ga. After Robinson’sfather left in 1920, his mothermoved the family to Pasadena,
Calif., where she worked odd jobs.

A gifted athlete,
Robinson madesports history at
UCLA bybecoming thefirst varsity letterholder in four sports:
football, basketball,track and baseball.

obinson broke barriers not only
in baseball, but in golf as well.
An avid golfer, he would riseas early as 4:30 a.m. to complete around before white golfers showed
up to play.
Robinson wrote regularly in his
newspaper column about the unfair
treatment of black people. In 1960,
he wrote a column in The Chicago
Defender responding to golfer
Charlie Sifford’s exclusion froma PGA tournament. He wrote:“Undoubtedly the time has come for action. A number of golfers withless of a record than Sifford’s were admitted to the Palm Springs
tournament, and there is no reason other than his race that Charlie
was refused. Since Charlie is endeavoring to make a living at his
chosen craft, it constitutes a basic denial of economic opportunity
when he is barred from membership in the PGA and fromparticipating in many of the money tournaments.”
Robinson retired from baseball in 1956.
He is seen here in 1958 playing golf at
the Miami Country Club.

Jackie Robinson demonstrated
integrity by speaking honestly toothers to gain their trust andsupport. Look through today’s
newspaper for advertisements.
Identify words describing items forsale. Do these ads use any words
that might mislead the consumer?
How would you rewrite the ad toshow more integrity?

Charlie Sifford is sometimes called the “Jackie
Robinson of golf.” Shortly after deciding toplay golf professionally, he ran into Robinson.
Sifford remembered the conversation almost
word for word.
Robinson asked Sifford if he was a quitter.
Sifford responded: “No, I’m not a quitter.”Robinson said, “If you’re not a quitter, go ahead
and take the challenge. If you’re a quitter, there
are going to be a lot of obstacles you’re goingto have to go through to be successful in what
you’re trying to do.”Jackie Robinson fought back against
prejudice without using violence byexpressing his opinion and thoughts inwriting and through peaceful demonstrations.

Is it always better tofight back using
words?

What character traits
did Robinson display
by his actions?

What might you do if
you were ever in asituation where you
met discrimination or
prejudice?

American Champions and Barrier Breakers 11

uring Jackie Robinson’s decadewith the Dodgers, which
included six trips to the World
Series, he used his fame to fightfor the rights of others. He insisted thatany hotel or restaurant that wanted hisbusiness had to serve other black
customers as well. Applying economic
pressure to spur change became apowerful tool in the civil rights
movement.

In 1961, Joe Louis’ outcry finally
led to the PGA removing its“Caucasian-only” clause. For the
first time, talented African
Americans like Charlie Sifford
got the chance to play and makea living as professional golfers.

After retiring from baseball in 1956,
Robinson regularly wrote newspaper
columns about racism. In his writing,
he reminded people of the power ofrefusing to purchase services andproducts from companies that barredpeople of color. He used his influence
to advocate integration in bothbusiness and athletics.

But the barrier of racism was notcompletely eliminated. LikeLouis, Robinson used his fame tocontinue to shed light on theneed for change.

Before and After

Robinson joined a picket line in front of a
Cleveland store which had refused to serve blacks.

Robinson used his fame to raise funds for the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People (NAACP). He walked with Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr. in protest marches and helped establish
the first black-owned bank in New York City.

Jackie Robinson worked as a coach and Youth Leader
at a YMCA in Harlem, N.Y.

Robinson’s legacy is a demonstration of the strengthof the human spirit to stand up to injustice and use
life’s opportunities to better not only one’s own life,
but the lives of all people.

Answer each question below
BEFORE reading the columns
on page 13. Then answer them
AFTER reading.
In what year did Robinson
write these columns?
Do you think one person cancause changes in people’s
attitudes about race? What did
Robinson want to see changed?
How did he make this change?
Are African Americans included
in golf events and programming
today? What impact did Jackie
Robinson have on this?

Jackie Robinson was featured on a commemorative USPS postage stamp in 1997. Find the two identical stamps.

12 American Champions and Barrier Breakers

Jackie Robinson used his columns in The Chicago Defenderto persuade people to take actions that would make theworld of golf equal for all.

s
al
on
si
es
of
Pr
ub
Sn
s
ow
Sh
f
ol
G
TV
p
To
Of Color
By Jackie Robinson

at home
Sifford could be perfectly r. Yet, it
ye
Ba
e
lik
with other pros
Negro
is my understanding that no
d to
ite
inv
en
be
er
ev
golfer has
appear on this show.
s failure
I’d like to know why thi rs.
golf
ed
rat
hly
hig
d
an
lfe
n
go
ow
Well-kn
to recognize Negros. Since
inpros appear on these show ip,
I once played a foursome er, who
lm
Pa
ld
no
Ar
there is national sponsorshthHartford wi
ensated.
ow.
guests are very well compinstance,hosts the “Challenge” sh be a
for
lf”
Go
e
ng
to
On “Challe
Palmer seemed to me
count oneven a losing player can
pretty decent fellow.
0.
,00
$1
earning
rstandIt is hard for me to unde ver
golfer
ne
s
ha
it
ly
We have yet to see a Negro
why seeming
est thaton either show.
occurred to Palmer to sugg invitedbea Negro pro like Sifford
stakenly
Just in case you might miNegroes
to participate.
believe that there are no whoof national stature in golfto namecould qualify, allow me
andone.
NEGROES PLAY golf

Like many thousands of two
enthusiasts, I often watchs; one
network television show d thecalled “All Star Golf” another “Challenge Golf.”a
CHARLIE SIFFORD is o has
whlna
topflight professio
won national Negro
es. Last
championships eight timond inyear Sifford finished sec
the Canadian Open.
as wellSifford has certainly done George
e
lik
rs
ye
in the game as pla
ed onBayer who is often featursted by
ho
is
ich
wh
lf
All-Star Go
James Demaret.

. Theywatch television matcheses soldalso buy tires like the tir y, one
by General Tire Compan nge”
of the sponsors of “Challe
ercuryand Ford and Lincoln-M cocars whose manufacturersshow.
sponsor the “Challenge”
num
We also purchase alumi byproducts like those sold ich
Reynolds Aluminum wh Star
picks up the tab for “AllGolf.”

By Jackie Robinson

IN A RECENT column weto network television golf referred Golf” does not integrate
immediately, “Red” says,
which, although they are matcheshenot buying Lincoln-Mercury issponsored by national pro
this
du
year.
ignore such ace Negro go cts,
lfe
rs
as
Charlie Sifford. These sp
A Miss Mary Allen of M
include Ford and Lincolnonsors
Vernon, writes in to commountMercury, General Tire an stand: “I have been watchend our
Reynolds Aluminum Co d thempany.
program “College Bowl ing thehave never seen a Negro” and I
We suggested that Negrope
oplerepresented on this show. college
boycott sponsors who bo
yc
ott
us
buy lots of General Elec Negroeson television and radio.
products. We should stoptricbuyingthem.”The response to that colum
really encouraged us tha n has
Negro is awakening to ant theawareness that he can an
NOT ONLY is the Negro
use his purchasing dollar d must
to defeatawakening to the value of
discrimination.
economic power; the wo his
industry is also beginnin rld of
Popular Luther “Red” Rarealize that it can no lon g to
the Harlem clubman, wrotendolph,tosayaway with ringing us upger get
he has been buying a new
cash registers and makingon its
Lincoln-Mercury annuallyfora
we don’t exist in employm believe
number of years. If “Challengeother areas of human ac ent andtivity.

power
Why should the buying pportsu
of our race be used to t give
manufacturers who do nojust due to the Negro?
seIf the people who use thetheirllsetelevision shows to-Crow
products want to run Jim s. Butessinshows, that’s their bu
if they
Negro people are suckers ending
spir
continue to invest the

Negrodollars in Jim Crow. The vehaiapeople of Philadelphcandemonstrated what unity their
of
ip
rsh
do. Under the leadeunity
ministers, the Negro comm rs
pepaws
boycotted daily negroes.
which refused to hire Nepapers
thereIt wasn’t long befond thegave in. They couldn’t sta
economic pressure.

Joe Louis and Jackie Robinson used persuasion andlogic to lead change. Look through the Opinion section of
today’s newspaper. Find letters to the editor or editorialcommentary. Underline examples of persuasive writing.

It has been said that you can’t be aleader if no one is following you.
What conclusions can you draw
about people who are leaders?

What are somethings leaders dothat make others
want to follow?

What role does themedia play inbringing out
leadership?

How doleaders get
their message
to others?

American Champions and Barrier Breakers 13

n the 1950s, no doubt helped by the successesof Joe Louis and Jackie Robinson, the spirited
and ambitious Althea Gibson pushed pastcolor barriers in tennis and golf. Sports were
her passion and she simply wanted the opportunity
to make a living doing what she loved.
While many people dream of a career in sports,
their skills aren’t strong enough. Althea had theability, but it was the color of her skin that initiallyprevented her from making a living as an athlete.

Althea Gibson was bornon August 25, 1927 in
Silver, S.C. When she
was three, her family
moved to Harlem, a
New York City neighborhood that was a hubof African-American
culture.

Through a Police Athletic League
program, Gibson started competingin paddleball, a game similar totennis but with a different racket ona smaller court. By age 12, she waswinning citywide championships.

The streets of Harlem
were Gibson’s training
ground. She didn’t muchcare for school, instead
preferring to be
outdoors. She loved all
sports, especially basketball, but “any kind ofball would do.”In 1950, Gibson became thefirst African-American
player, male or female, tocompete in the U.S. National
Tennis Championships.

Children playing leapfrog in New York’sHarlem neighborhood.

Despite exclusion from thelocker room, poor court
placement and evencancelled matches, Gibson
persevered, competing intennis tournaments throughout the United States andabroad. From 1956 to 1958,
she was a world-class champion, rising to number one in
the world rankings. Gibson
won five Grand Slam singles
titles, including back-to-backvictories at both Wimbledon
and the U.S. Nationals in1957 and 1958.

Althea Gibson wrote a book published in 1968.
Unscramble the words to reveal the title of the book.

14 American Champions and Barrier Breakers

At age 15, just a year after picking
up tennis, Gibson won her first
local tournament and became
the New York State AfricanAmerican Girls’ Singles champion.
This tournament was hosted by theAmerican Tennis Association (ATA),
an organization created to support
and promote African-American
athletes. She won two more ATA
tournaments in 1944 and 1945.
Althea Gibson accomplishedmany goals on her way to
becoming a star althelete intennis and golf. Complete thegrid by using all the letters in
the word GOALS once ineach row and column.

ibson’s skill caught the attention of Florida A&M
University, which awarded her an athletic scholarshipin 1950. But even with her growing list of wins in
African-American and international tournaments, Gibson
continued to be barred from the most important competitions,which at that time were all-white events. Frustrated, Gibson
considered quitting tennis altogether and joining the Army. “I
was tired of never having any money,” Gibson said. She won
many trophies, but needed to support herself.

The first
time
Gibsonplayedtennis, she
was sogood that
othersstopped towatch her.

Star athletes work to be the best at theirsport, but they must also be prepared
for a lifetime in the spotlight. We readabout celebrities in magazines,
newspapers and on the Internet everyday. Find an article in todayʼs newspaper
about a famous person (political figure,athlete, movie star, etc.). Why is he or
she in the news today? Is it good news
or bad news?

In the 1960s, Gibson turned her
athletic prowess to golf. Alongwith playing tennis at college,
Gibson took up golf as well,
regularly beating her athletic
director and golf coach at
Florida A&M.
Saying that someone played likea girl used to be an insult, but

Ambition motivates you to practicesomething to get better at it. Sometimes practicing means passing up
other more frivilous activities.

In 1950, Alice Marble, aformer tennis star, wrote anarticle chastising her sport
for closing itself off totalented players based on
race. Marble’s article
changed things for Gibson.
Later that year, she wasinvited to compete in the
U.S. National Tennis
Championships. She was
the first African-American
athlete allowed to play.

Marble wrote: “[Gibson] is
not being judged by theyardstick of ability, but by
the fact that her pigmentation is somewhat different.
She is a fellow tennis player
and, as such, deserving of
the chance I had to provemyself. I’ve never met Miss
Gibson, but, to me, she is afellow human being towhom equal privileges
ought to be extended.”

Althea Gibson put a new spinon that idea. Althea excelled atevery sport she tried. She eventoured with the Harlem
Globetrotters.
In 1964, Gibson was the first
African-American woman
accepted into the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

How does ambition
help you to stay
motivated?

Do you reward
yourself for
sticking to
your goals?

Did you set anothergoal once you
acheived your firstgoal?

American Champions and Barrier Breakers 15

“one of the finest sports museums in the world...”ASBURY PARK P RESS , M AY, 2008

Fill in the missing words, then match the lettersto the numbers and spell the answer to the
Mystery Spot question.
Who was the President of the United States
the year the Civil Rights Act was
passed by Congress?
6

THE USGA MUSUEM IS PROUD TO CELEBRATETHE AFRICAN-AMERICAN GOLF EXPERIENCE

American Champions and Barrier Breakers:“American
and BarrierandBreakers:
JoeLouis,Champions
Jackie Robinson
Althea Gibson.
Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis and Althea Gibson”

7

5

1

8

5

2

3

8

4

5

9

8

5

1. In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke 50 years of
racial segregation in professional baseball bybecoming a player for the Brooklyn

The USGA is proud to announce an exhibit that celebrates the lives, achievements
temporarycelebratesJackie
the livesRobinsonof three greatandathletes,
their sports
achievements
and theirandThislegacies
ofexhibit
Joe Louis,
AltheaGibson.
AmericanChampilegacies.Breakers
Featuring artifacts
and artifacts,
photographsof these three American
icons, this exhibit
onsimportantand Barrierfeaturesphotographsand documentsof these
hasAmerican
been developed
fromandthe African-American
Golfend
Archive,which 2012.
was formed in 2010 by the
three
icons
will run until theof June1
2. Joe Louis’ nickname was the Brown

This
exhibit
has
been
from
the seeks
African-American
Archive,
ArnoldPalmerCenterfordeveloped
Golf History. The
archiveto recognize, honorGolfand celebrate
the whichwasnumerous
formedcontributionsin 2010 bytheUnitedStates
Golf
Association
and
the
PGA
of America
African Americans have made to golf over more than a century.
and is housed at the USGA Museum and Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History.
TheThearchiveseeks
to recognize,
honor
and
celebrate the numerous contributions
exhibit will
run from
February 2012
to July2012.
African Americans have made to golf for more than a century.

3. The first African American to play in the U.S.
Open wasUnited States Golf Association and the PGA of America and is housed at the USGA Museum and

2

3
4
4. This African American invented the golf tee.

5. Althea Gibson grew up in
77 Liberty Corner Road, Far Hills, NJ 07931

6(908) 234-t www.usgamuseum.com
Open Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. — 5 p.m.
Closed Mondays and major holidays
TEXT CREDITSPICTURE CREDITS

Page 3: Jackie Robinson:
brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/jackie_robinson.html

The pictures in this supplement are either from the USGA or are in
public domain unless stated here.

Page 4: John W. Roxborough: Forbidden Fairways, by Calvin H.
Sinnette, Sleeping Bear Press, Michigan, 1998.
Page 5: Joe Louis: Forbidden Fairways, by Calvin H. Sinnette,
Sleeping Bear Press, Michigan, 1998.
Page 6: Joe Louis: Forbidden Fairways, by Calvin H. Sinnette,
Sleeping Bear Press, Michigan, 1998.
Page 10: Jackie Robinson: Jackie Robinson: A Biography, by Arnold
Rampersad, Random House Publishing Group, New York, 1997.
Branch Rickey interview: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Robinson
Page 11: Jackie Robinson: The Washington Post and Times
Herald; April 14, 1957.
Page 12: Jackie Robinson:
brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/jackie_robinson.html
Page 14: Althea Gibson: Born to Win, by Frances Clayton Grayand Yanick Rice Lamb, John Wiley and Sons, New Jersey, 2004.
Page 15: Jim Obert: Born to Win, by Frances Clayton Gray andYanick Rice Lamb, John Wiley and Sons, New Jersey, 2004.

Page 2: Gibson; AP Images/Bill Chaplis. Robinson; Hulton
Archive/Getty Images
Page 3: Bus: Stan Wayman/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images.
Golfer: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division,
Detroit Publishing Company Collection.
Page 4: Stamp: © United States Postal Service. All rights
reserved. Ku Klux Klan: Displays for School, LLC.
Page 5: Fight: New York Daily News/Getty Images
Page 7: AP Text: Used with permission of The Associated Press
Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
Page 8: Shady Rest Golf Club: Fox News outtake A7929-7932, courtesy
University of South Carolina, Moving Image Research Collections.
Page 9: Duhon: St Andrew Links Trust
Page 10: Robinson, AP Images. UCLA/Robinson & Rickey:
National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, N.Y.
Page 11: Robinson: © Tampa Bay Times/ZUMApress.com
Page 12: Stamp: © United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.

16 American Champions and Barrier Breakers

5

6. As a young man, Joe Louis delivered ice topeople’s homes in order to earn
7

7. Jackie Robinson encouraged people toboycott companies that didn’t treat all people
equally by not buying their
8
8. Both Joe Louis and Jackie Robinson havebeen honored by being pictured on postage
9