
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
The first scholarly biography of one of the most famous athletes of our time shows how Ashe worked for civil rights while playing a country-club sport in a white man's world.
Winner of the CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title of the Choice ACRL
Arthur Ashe explains how this iconic African American tennis player overcame racial and class barriers to reach the top of the tennis world in the 1960s and 1970s. But more important, it follows Ashe's evolution as an activist who had to contend with the shift from civil rights to Black Power. Off the court, and in the arena of international politics, Ashe positioned himself at the center of the black freedom movement, negotiating the poles of black nationalism and assimilation into white society. Fiercely independent and protective of his public image, he navigated the thin line between conservatives and liberals, reactionaries and radicals, the sports establishment and the black cause.
Eric Allen Hall's work examines Ashe's life as a struggle against adversity but also a negotiation between the comforts—perhaps requirements—of tennis-star status and the felt obligation to protest the discriminatory barriers the white world constructed to keep black people "in their place."
Drawing on coverage of Ashe's athletic career and social activism in domestic and international publications, archives including the Ashe Papers, and a variety of published memoirs and interviews, Hall has created an intimate, nuanced portrait of a great athlete who stood at the crossroads of sports and equal justice.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover Page
- Halftitle Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- 1 Richmond
- 2 UCLA
- 3 An Emerging Activist
- 4 Bright Lights and Civil Rights
- 5 Tennis Wars
- 6 Defeat and Victory in South Africa
- 7 Transitions
- 8 The Comeback
- 9 Triumph and Tragedy
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Essay on Sources
- Index