A favorite topic we often like learning about is people who have done extraordinary things, or researching people who have unusual backgrounds and yet are characterized by a certain measure of success that often leads to admiration. We are often mesmerized or shocked in some fashion.
By no means are these people more special than others. We often think that these people are so far from us and we ourselves are missing something. We think they are perfect, but they are probably not. They just go above and beyond. They are courageous, they believe in something, and they go after it. They are ordinary people, but end up doing exceptional things. Many of them have become influential to society. Others have left a legacy that even after they are gone, their stories are still being told. This includes the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Saint John Paul II, Nelson Mandela, C.S. Lewis and many others. This is also true of Arthur Ashe.
What makes a person notable? This is a question with a few hundred different answers. The life of Arthur Ashe (30 years after his death) is one that is often talked about, but also has been overshadowed for other reasons. The former tennis icon—an idol in many ways—was an ordinary man doing unique things.
Born in Richmond Virginia in 1943 during a time of segregation (amid tension among civil rights groups, leading to protests in the 1960s) Mr. Ashe became one of the activists on important human challenges. He played many significant roles, including: a co-founder of the Association of Tennis Professionals, and former ATP President; a spokesperson for AIDS education; an advocate for the black community in America; against apartheid in South Africa; an author; a coach, a father, and so much more.
The Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA amongst their programs is an oral history series on Ashe ,and has also embarked on a mission to preserve the legacy of Arthur Ashe. All good history must be preserved, talked about, and discussed in order to educate the next generation of people. In the ninth year since its inception, the oral project continues to support and organize events that review the past, but also envision the future of its Ashe legacy work. This framework has added an enormous amount of value and is useful to the legacy.
Mr. Ashe was definitely known for his tennis skills and being a champion on the court, yet his life beyond tennis portrays a much bigger picture of who he was. The definition of “humanitarian” fits him perfectly well, because his actions unquestionably support better treatment of humans but also support of equal advancements. His background also qualifies him as an ambassador, a global thinker, and a citizen of the world. His inspiration is still very alive, loved, and admired around the world today.
My hope is that the “Ashe Project“ at ABC Inc. will be one of the highlights of our program portraits. I am confident that his legacy will continue to impact many people. We like to share the legacy of Ashe because it is not complex, but it is immensely rich. Mr. Arthur Ashe was an ordinary man who did extraordinary things. He was a gifted tennis player, but his abilities extended far beyond tennis. What else can you do off the tennis court?
David Dalitso Mwanza
Racquet Sports Professional
Founding Member – Ability Beyond the Court Inc – ( 501 – C – 3)
www.abilitybeyondthecourt.org