Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson, in 1950, became the first African American (of either sex) to compete in an international tennis competition. She received an invitation to play at the United States National Championships (now the U. S. Open) in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. She lost in the second round, but that event was just the start of her groundbreaking career in both tennis and golf. Children can learn more at: Althea Gibson.
Leonard Bernstein (born Lawrence, Massachusetts, 1918; died New York, New York, October 14, 1990) was a conductor and a composer. One of his musicals was West Side Story.
Ian Falconer (born Ridgefield, Connecticut, 1959; died Norwalk, Connecticut, March 7, 2023) was an illustrator, a children’s author, and a theater set designer. He wrote and illustrated the Olivia series, and he received a 2001 Caldecott Honor Award for Olivia.
Charles Ghigna (born Queens, New York, 1946) writes poetry for children. Sometimes called Father Goose, he has written at least 100 books, including The Alphabet Parade and I See Spring. He has written more than 5000 poems! Children can visit his website at: Charles Ghigna.
Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson (born Silver, South Carolina, 1927; died East Orange, New Jersey, September 28, 2003) was the first African American (of either sex) to play international tennis. She was also the first African American to win the women’s singles tournament at Wimbledon. She won the tournament in 1957 and returned to a ticker tape parade in New York. Idea: Children could find out how one qualifies for Wimbledon. They could also learn more abut Althea Gibson at: Althea Gibson.
Bret Harte (born Albany, New York, 1836; died London, England, August 2, 1902) was a writer known especially for his tales of the American West. One of his most famous works is “The Outcasts of Poker Flat,” written in 1869. He completed “The Luck of Roaring Camp” in 1868. Children can read many of his works at: Project Gutenberg.
Walt Kelly (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1913; died Hollywood, California, October 18, 1973) was a cartoonist. He is famous for his character, Pogo.
Lane Smith (born Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1959) writes and illustrates books for children. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, written by Jon Scieszka earned Smith a 1993 Caldecott Honor Award. He earned another Caldecott Honor Award in 2012 for Grandpa Green. Children could visit his website at: Lane Smith.