Althea Gibson was a professional tennis player from the United States who achieved fame in the 1950s and 1960s. She was the first African American to win a Grand Slam title, winning both the French Open and Wimbledon in 1957 and 1958 respectively. She was also the first African American to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971. Gibson was nicknamed 'Gibson of Tennis Fame' due to her success in the sport.