today in Black history - feb 6

Arthur Ashe, tennis player, humanitarian, and activist died in New York City in 1993.

Members of my family have tried to get me into tennis for years. It never took. For them, growing up Black in Boston, the Sportsmen’s Tennis Club (now Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center) was a regular part of the lives of multiple generations and it was the first African American tennis club in the United States. Tennis has remained a regular part of our extended family's activities and entertainment. While tennis and I were never a good match, I was taught about the life and legacy of Arthur Ashe from a young age and was always impressed by his balance of athleticism and activism. Arthur Ashe was the first African American man to win a major tennis title. Although Ashe passed from this life on February 6, 1993, his impact continues--there is an Arthur Ashe Legacy project at UCLA and even a clothing brand. For me, the most lasting legacy of Arthur Ashe's life will always be the lesson that you can achieve greatness in your craft and greatness in your global impact--perhaps the two are even inextricably linked.