ON TUESDAY, JUNE 16TH, HALL OF FAMER ROBERT RYLAND, THE FIRST BLACK TENNIS PROFESSIONAL IN AMERICA, CELEBRATED HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY

In 1959 Robert Ryland broke through barriers of race and class, and became the first African-American tennis professional. His success in both American Tennis Association (ATA), and integrated amateur tournaments around the country, made him one of the best known Black players in the United States.  In 2009, in honor of his lifetime of achievements, he was inducted into the Black Tennis Hall Fame (BTHOF). 

At the Class of 2019 Induction Ceremony, Mr. Ryland graced us with his presence at Brooklyn Borough Hall, Brooklyn New York, and shared a bit of his wisdom in person, as he shares it in his book.

"I THINK, IF I HAD NOT PLAYED TENNIS, I WOULD NEVER BECOME 99 YEARS OLD."

Robert Ryland 100 from Black Tennis Hall of Fame on Vimeo.

HALL OF FAMER JAMES BLAKE SHARES HIS UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE AS A BLACK MAN ENCOUNTERING POLICE BRUTALITY

"EVERY BIT HELPS!" HALL OF FAMER AND LOUISIANA NATIVE CHANDA RUBIN PARTNERS WITH FEEDING AMERICA TO HELP RESOLVE FOOD INSECURITY IN LOUISIANA

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Louisiana is my home and is filled with so much rich culture. But our state has been hit especially hard lately, and people are fighting hunger in communities that struggled to put food on the table even before the pandemic. Louisiana has one of the highest levels of food insecurity in the US and 1 in 4 children can’t count on where their next meal will come from. So I’m partnering with @feedingamerica to help #FeedLouisianaLove. I've donated and I know times are hard but if you’re able, I hope you'll join me by going to FeedLouisianaLove.com to donate too. Every bit helps!

A post shared by Chanda Rubin (@thechandarubin) on May 6, 2020 at 3:41pm PDT