Who was Arthur Ashe?
Arthur Ashe was a tennis legend who helped break the sport’s stringent color barrier.
Arthur Ashe was a champion on the court and for the people. The Richmond, VA native was the first Black man to win the singles title at the US Open, the Australian Open, and Wimbledon.
Arthur Ashe’s Tennis Career
Ashe started playing tennis in his youth on the Blacks-only courts in Richmond. His father, Arthur Ashe Sr., was a major influence in fostering Ashe’s love for a sport where few stars looked like Arthur.
Despite his clear talent, segregation prevented Ashe from competing at a higher level. This became evident when he became the first Black player to win in the National Junior tournament. Ashe was a star on the rise, traveling the globe and racking up multiple wins, but he was denied equal recognition and pay as a professional athlete.
Arthur’s experiences prompted him to join the civil rights movement, advocating for equal rights for Black Americans and anti-apartheid efforts in South Africa. His interests in social change progressed as his athletic career took off. Arthur rose through the ranks to the top three in the country and led the U.S. team to victory at the 1968 Davis Cup. He was a five-time major champion and a 7-time finalist.
How did Arthur Ashe Die?
Arthur Ashe died from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1993.
Ashe was hospitalized for paralysis in his right arm in 1988. After he underwent extensive testing, blood transfusions, and multiple surgeries, doctors discovered he was HIV positive.
Arthur kept the diagnosis private until a USA Today article forced him to go public. Ashe worked tirelessly to raise awareness and challenge the narrative about those living with HIV amidst widespread misinformation and stigma. To educate, address the need for research funding, and push for policy reform, Ashe founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS, a testament to his lifelong commitment to advocacy and service.
Honoring Arthur Ashe’s Life with the AIDS Quilt
Arthur is remembered through the memories of his loved ones, his impact on the world through advocacy, and the AIDS Memorial Quilt panels created in his honor.
Like thousands of others since the start of the HIV and AIDS crisis, Ashe’s life was taken far too soon. Ashe was only 49 years old when AIDS-related pneumonia took his life. Who knows how many others he could have inspired through his kindness and advocacy had he lived another 49 years.
Ashe was honored at our Change the Pattern, which brought Quilt panels like Ashe’s across the South to educate people about the story of AIDS and the disproportionate impact it still has on communities of color. More than twenty AIDS Memorial Quilt panels honor Ashe, highlighting his incredible story and work on and off the court. Here are some of those panels:
You can search for Arthur Ashe’s name on the Quilt to see more of these touching memorials.
Do you know someone who died from AIDS who touched your life? Honor their story through an AIDS Quilt panel today:
