Arthur Ashe Is A Hero Essay

To African-Americans, H.I.V. patients, and tennis amateurs across the world, Arthur Ashe is a hero. He is known as one of the most people who was dedicated to helping others. Ashe was an exceptional tennis player who was able to inspire others. The talent and spirit of Arthur Ashe had a profound effect on racial and social justice in the world.
Ashe was born during the Pre-Civil Rights period in Richmond, Virginia. Here, he lived in a very segregated, southern community. Throughout his entire childhood, Ashe was not allowed in the front half of buses and had separate “colored” schools, churches, restrooms, parks, and seating areas. As a minority, he was never able to have the same opportunities as whites. From this early segregation,

Ashe used his observation of his early life as the core reason of his opposition to apartheid in his future.
At six-years-old, Arthur moved into a house on Brookfield Park grounds, about thirty steps from the tennis courts, since his father was hired as a special policemen to oversee the park. Ronald Charity, one of the best colored players in Richmond, saw Arthur trying to learn the game. Charity soon became Ashe’s mentor, teaching him how to show good character on the courts and how to play the game. At the age of 12, Ashe became the best tennis player in Richmond, Virginia. However, Ashe continued to deal with racial discrimination. He had to travel far distances to participate in tennis tournaments. Often times, Ashe was barred from tennis matches because of his skin color. Later in his life he recalled, “When I was 12, I was the best player in Richmond. But I couldn't prove it. My coach decided that he was going to confirm it. We went to Bird Park, which was for whites only, where the USTA was holding its local tournament. The people knew who I was because I had built a reputation. But they said that I couldn't play in the tournament because I was black.”
After high school, Ashe received a scholarship to UCLA where he graduated with the National College Athletic Association title in the singles tennis tournament. He then went to West Point, New York to serve a two-year Army commitment as an officer. In this time at West Point, Ashe was instructed to play as much tennis as he wanted. Although he was still an amateur, Ashe participated in many tournaments. As soon as he left the Army, Ashe played at his first U.S. Open. Ashe was the first black player selected to the United States Davis Cup team and the only black man ever to win the singles title at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, or the
As the only prominent black tennis player of his era, Ashe served as a beacon for future players (Finn). He was able to inspire many people to play particular sports that weren’t generally associated with their race or culture. In his later career, Ashe had won the title of many “firsts” for blacks. He became the first African American to win the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, Australian Open. He was the first black to play for the United States Davis Cup and the first black to be named Association of Tennis Professionals Player of the Year. As a Davis Cup player, Ashe was able to win twenty-seven out of thirty-two matches, more than any other American. Former African-American tennis player, Zina Garrison stated, “Arthur showed you what is possible to be accomplished. I always wanted to follow in his footsteps and nobody can forget that me made footsteps: I can really appreciate the time that he made his breakthrough in. It was harder then for a minority player to break in, especially in our sport, but he did it to the hilt.”
During the time period that Ashe was a tennis star, South Africa was a very segregated country. Ashe did his best to bring attention to apartheid, or a policy of system of segregations or discrimination on grounds of race, in South Africa. After three years, he received his visa to the country to play in the South African Open. Not only did he do well on the court, but he also refused to allow segregated seating during his matches. During his time in South Africa, Ashe was able to learn about the conditions of people living in South Africa. When he returned back to the United States, he was arrested in Washington D.C. for taking part in a demonstration against South Africa.
At the age of 36, Ashe forced retirement due to his heart disease. However, he continued his career in the tennis world. Ashe was the United States Davis Cup captain for five years. He also became a teacher at Florida Memorial College where he taught an honors seminar called the Black Athlete in Contemporary Society. He continued to travel to South Africa to emphasize the need to end apartheid, and went from country to country speaking about his segregated experiences to promote equality for different races.
Ashe also established various foundations, once again illustrating his dedication to helping others. The Safe Passage Foundation was organized by Ashe to help African American kids learn to play tennis and do well in school. The Athletes Career Connection was made to help black college athletes in their studies, so they could graduate. In his lifetime, Ashe really stressed the need for better education for athletes and minority groups. Through a lot of charitable work, Bob Carter explains that, “He pushed and made a difference for higher academic standards for athletes, particularly minorities.” Ashe later extended his help to those in urban communities. The Bolletieri Cities Tennis Program was established as a a tennis academy for inner city kids, and the Arthur Ashe Institution for Urban Health was created to develop solutions to the problems facing residents of urban areas across the nation. However, something soon happened in Ashe’s life, changing it completely.
At a press conference in 1992, Ashe had to announce that he had contracted AIDS from his second bipolar heart surgery when he received a blood transfusion. He made the responsible decision to tell all of his family and friends, and then announce it before newspapers and magazines would publish articles about it. But different from others, Ashe didn’t become depressed or lose his strength of emotional health. Ashe continued to do charitable work. He especially worked to help those living with AIDS. In this work he established a charitable body called the Arthur Ashe foundation For the Defeat of AIDS. He helped the suffering AIDS patients internationally and promoted AIDS research. Ashe began dedicating himself to raise money for AIDS studies.
Unfortunately, Ashe died of AIDS related pneumonia at age 49.

After his early death, Arthur Ashe became even more of a legacy. He was able to offer so much in his very short lifetime. People of all nations remember Ashe as a tennis legend who made higher educational standards for all athletes and someone who later was a beacon for African Americans who wanted to play “white people sports.” He gave minorities more freedom in playing different sports and attending better schools. Ashe also became a role model for those experiencing life with HIV or AIDS. Millions of people received help from Ashe, as he was able to promote awareness for the disease and raise fund for it. He told others to stay strong and supported them. In most of America, people experience racial equality. If not for Ashe and other contributors, there may not be racial justice in this country. He went above and beyond to lead protests for those in South Africa living with apartheid. He did all he could to speak, teach, write, and do public service to end racism. But most importantly, “Ashe was an important thinker who considered himself as a moderate” (Carter). He built his life from humble beginnings, and during his tennis career and beyond, Ashe dedicated himself to dismantling the barriers of poverty, privilege, racism, and social stereotyping (Finn).
Arthur Ashe’s talent and attitude were able to impact the social and racial justice in the world. His tennis career has changed the way we look at sports today because athletes are smarter, and from different races but equally treated. His work with foundations and fight for social justice in his tennis career has led the world to being a fairer, better place. His help in raising money for AIDS and the cure of it has affected thousands of suffering patients

internationally.
Ashe’s career and work of speaking up for minorities and being considerate will never be forgotten. He will forever be seen as a role model to millions of people. Although he formerly had to deal with segregation and wasn’t expected much of, he was able to make a difference for many people. He constantly tried to make a difference by accommodating those who’s’ lives weren’t as fortunate. As Zina Garrison states, “He’s always been someone you can look up to and someone who says, ‘You can do it, it doesn’t matter where you come from or how you look.’” Arthur Ashe was an American hero fighting battles both on and off the court, and the entire human race will remember his legacy forever.