While Ashe is significant for breaking the color barrier in a
historically upper class and white sport, he needs to be remembered for
his post-tennis career as a writer, columnist, and human rights
activist. In his multiple memoirs and his columns for The Washington
Post, Ashe presented an approach to race, sport, and popular culture
that was conservative, measured, and dependent upon very traditional
notions of hard work, self-sacrifice, and the family.
And, unqiue among athletes and other celebrities, Ashe was willing
invest his all in the political causes he beleived in. In the early
1970s he broke the color line and played in the South African open,
despite criticisms from some Civil Rights activists. From the late 60s
onward he spent considerable time and money working with tutoring
programs and offering free tennis clinics to African American
children. Ashe didn't simply parrot popular positions or make
occasional speeches. He put himself on the line and got into the
trenches.
We would all benefit from studying Ashe's life. While he isn't the
greatest Virginian, he is representative of what makes Virginia so
special.
---------Included Message----------
Date: 1-Jul-2007 13:50:49 -0400
From: "qvarizona" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: "Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history"
<[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] VA homeschooling & SOL
I'd vote to keep Maggie Walker in the SOL list; she is a great example
of a
person starting with nothing and succeeding in the free enterprise
system... although she started with what was basically a non-profit
organization.
Wilder is a living politician, and rather controversial with his party-
changing routine. Not a good choice in my opinion. Ashe was neither
the best example of an athlete or black athlete, or ??? I am surprised
he made the SOL list at all.
As for Mr. South's suggestions, Supreme Court Justice Powell, would
have been a good choice, but Goldstein is not "Virginian" enough, and
John Warner is like Wilder, a living politician.
--Joanne
[log in to unmask] wrote: The Honorable Lewis Powell, Jr., author Tom
Wolf, Nobel Prize winner Dr.
Joseph L. Goldstein and U.S. Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) would be good
examples
of a great Virginians 1900 to present.
Maggie Walker, Arthur Ashe and Douglas Wilder should be little more
than
historical footnotes somewhere.
J South
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---------End of Included Message----------
Matthew Mace Barbee
American Culture Studies Program
Bowling Green State University
Phone: (419) 575-4028
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