Althea (2014)

In the heart of the 1950s, Althea Gibson, a rebellious spirit hailing from the gritty streets of Harlem, ascended to an unexpected throne in the strictly segregated world of tennis. Mention her name, and most would return a bewildered gaze, yet no champion has ever surmounted more hurdles. Gibson carved her way into history as the first African-American victor at prestigious tournaments such as Wimbledon and Forest Hills, a full decade before the renowned Arthur Ashe. Yet, her groundbreaking feats were met with cold shoulders from the tennis elite. Her journey, rooted in the humble beginnings of a sharecropper's daughter, the great northern migration of her family to Harlem, and the invaluable guidance she received from prominent figures such as Sugar Ray Robinson and David Dinkins, paints a much larger canvas of African-American history. Her unexpected fame thrust her, albeit unwillingly, into the harsh limelight of the burgeoning Civil Rights movement. "Althea" is not just a tale of a tennis prodigy, it's a testament to the resilience of a woman who played against more than just a ball and court - she played against the era itself.

Althea is a documentary movie featuring Althea Gibson.

Althea is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Freevee, Peacock, Peacock Premium, Plex, Plex Player, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Tubi TV and Xumo Play and it's also available on OVID and fuboTV.