50 Years Ago Today: Arthur Ashe Visits South Africa

During the height of his career, Arthur Ashe was embroiled in a years-long battle with the apartheid-era South African government, having been repeatedly denied a visa to play in the segregated country. Finally, in 1973, his tenacity prevailed: the government relented, and he was granted the visa. Ashe saw the chance to travel to the country as an opportunity to break down stereotypes and highlight ongoing racial discrimination around the world while celebrating the potential of a fully integrated society.

50 years ago today, Ashe traveled to South Africa for the first time, where, competing in the men’s doubles with his former rival Tom Okker as his teammate, he won the 1973 South African Open — breaking the color barrier in the country a full twenty years before the fall of apartheid. Ashe would go on to fund and dedicate the building of a tennis center for Black South Africans in Johannesburg’s Soweto township; today, our house “Soweto” colorway pays homage to his lasting influence both within and beyond the region.

Learn more about Arthur Ashe’s incredible life, career and legacy at arthurashe.com.