Althea Gibson moved to Wilmington in 1946 to attend high school and work on her tennis game with Dr. Hubert A. Eaton. She was a trailblazing athlete who became the first African-American to win Wimbledon, the French Open, the Australian Doubles and the US Open in the late 1950’s. 

The City Council unanimously voted to name the tennis complex at Empie Park in honor of Ms. Althea Gibson.