Althea Gibson (1927-2003)

Althea Gibson (1927-2003)

Althea Gibson, a sharecropper’s daughter, entered the world of sports when segregation severely limited opportunities for African Americans. She eventually became the first black athlete to cross the color line of international tennis and golf. Althea Gibson was born...
Marva Collins (1936-2015)

Marva Collins (1936-2015)

Marva Collins was born in Monroeville, Alabama to Bessie and Henry Knight where her father, who had an indelible impact on her, was one of the richest black men in town.  She attended segregated schools, and contrary to many views, these institutions were often places...
Ruth Cave Flowers (1902-1980)

Ruth Cave Flowers (1902-1980)

Born in Colorado Springs in 1902, Ruth Cave began her notable career in unpromising circumstances.  Her parents were divorced before she was born, and her mother died when she was 11, leaving Ruth and her sister Dorothy in the care of her 60 year old grandmother,...