Did you know that there is a connection between
tennis and The Divine Nine?
Many of tennis' most influential people were members
of historically Black Greek fraternities and sororities.
Here are the players in chronological order:
Lucy Diggs Slowe
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
one of the sorority's founders
Alpha Chapter at Howard University in 1908
won the Women's Singles title at the first
ATA National Championships (1917)
Dr. Robert "Whirlwind" Johnson
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated
initiated Beta Chapter at Lincoln University
graduated Class of 1924
Dr. Hubert A. Eaton
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated
initiated Alpha Omicron Chapter at Johnson C. Smith University
graduated Class of 1937
also a former ATA national president
Althea Gibson
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
initiated Beta Alpha Chapter at Florida A&M University
graduated Class of 1953
Arthur Ashe
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated
initiated Upsilon Chapter at the
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
graduated Class of 1966
tennis and The Divine Nine?
Many of tennis' most influential people were members
of historically Black Greek fraternities and sororities.
Here are the players in chronological order:
Lucy Diggs Slowe
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
one of the sorority's founders
Alpha Chapter at Howard University in 1908
won the Women's Singles title at the first
ATA National Championships (1917)
Dr. Robert "Whirlwind" Johnson
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated
initiated Beta Chapter at Lincoln University
graduated Class of 1924
Dr. Hubert A. Eaton
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated
initiated Alpha Omicron Chapter at Johnson C. Smith University
graduated Class of 1937
also a former ATA national president
Althea Gibson
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
initiated Beta Alpha Chapter at Florida A&M University
graduated Class of 1953
Arthur Ashe
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated
initiated Upsilon Chapter at the
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
graduated Class of 1966