Althea Gibson, who broke the color barrier in tennis (and golf), was honored in Tallahassee, Florida on the campus of her alma mater, Florida A&M University, by having a street named in her honor. At the direction of the Tallahassee Mayor and City Commissioners, Althea Gibson Way (formerly Wahnish Way) is now a reality. The City of Tallahassee and FAMU officially unveiled the Althea Gibson Way sign at a ceremony on Tuesday, April 30.
“By honoring Althea Gibson with a street name, the City celebrates her legacy and contributions to both athletics and civil rights. Her determination and success opened doors around the world for other women and people of color,” Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey said. “It’s my hope that seeing her name each day on Althea Gibson Way will continue to inspire everyone to work toward their dreams.”
In 2022, a block of West 143rd Street in Harlem, where a young Gibson grew up, was also named in her honor as you can read here https://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/21255 and watch here: https://youtu.be/i_ESv1Bp_r8?si=CFMb7gLFWhUHNksY
Gibson attended FAMU before starting his Hall of Fame tennis career and personally documents her time on campus in her autobiography “I Always Wanted To Be Somebody” which was recently republished and is for sale here: https://a.co/d/4T1ueRn
