Althea

Streaming video - 2015

A documentary about the trailblazing athlete Althea Gibson. The first black tennis player to compete at elite level, Althea Gibson slammed her way through the color barrier into the world of international tennis. With a style of play she described as 'aggressive, dynamic, and mean' Althea brought a fierce athleticism to the women’s game, ushering in a new era in the sport. Her singles win at Wimbledon drew the attention of the world and a ticker-tape parade along Broadway. With rarely seen archival photographs and interviews with those closest to Althea, Rex Miller creates a rich portrait of the African American community of 1950‘s Harlem who saw her potential and nurtured her talent.