On Oct. 17, the United States Mint announced that Althea Gibson, a tennis legend from Wilmington, would be among the honorees for its 2025 American Women Quarters Program — the fourth and final year of the program.
Gibson was a trailblazing, multi-sport athlete and was the first Black athlete to break through the color barrier at the highest levels in tennis, capturing 11 Grand Slam titles by the end of the 1950s. She won multiple championships at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the French Open, becoming one of the most dominant tennis players in history. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971 and the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1980.
Not content with just one sport, Gibson also was the first Black player to compete in the Women’s Professional Golf Tour.
The designs for the quarters featuring the 2025 honorees will be unveiled next year.
The other honorees include Ida B. Wells, Juliette Gordon Low, Dr. Vera Rubin, and Stacey Park Milbern.