Hailing from Silver, an unincorporated community in Clarendon County, Althea Gibson found her love for tennis in Harlem, N.Y. She played (and dominated) in paddleball tournaments, and a coach ...

Before Althea Gibson could play -- much less win -- major tennis tournaments, another opponent had to be defeated. But Gibson had less control against this foe, which went by the name segregation.

On Monday, Day 1 at the US Open and Women's Equality Day, a statue of Althea Gibson was unveiled in Flushing Meadows. Placed just outside Arthur Ashe stadium, the sculpture—created by Eric ...