Althea Gibson became the first Black woman to win the U.S. National Championships singles title when she defeated Louise Brough in the 1957 final, 6–3, 6–2.
The U.S. National Championships were the precursor to today’s U.S. Open. Gibson’s victory at Forest Hills followed her breakthrough at the 1956 French Championships, where she became the first Black player to win a Grand Slam singles title. In 1957, she also won Wimbledon singles and doubles.
Gibson had already broken the tournament’s participation barrier in 1950, becoming the first Black player to compete at the U.S. Nationals. Her 1957 triumph therefore represented both an athletic achievement and a landmark against racial exclusion in American tennis.
She successfully defended the U.S. National Championships singles title in 1958. The achievement is sometimes confused with her 1956 French title or her 1957 Wimbledon victory, but the U.S. Nationals milestone belongs to Forest Hills.