The temperance movement was one of many reform efforts that built support in the decades before the Civil War. Temperance is defined as moderation in action, thought, or feeling, and is often used to describe the long campaign to decrease the consumption of alcohol by Americans that culminated in the national Prohibition Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in the 20th century. Since the European settlement of North America, alcohol consumption had been common and by early in the 19th century, many Americans believed that alcohol was to blame for a variety of societal problems, including unemployment, crime, poverty, and domestic abuse.
Supporters of the temperance movement blamed alcohol for family and social problems like poverty, domestic violence, child abuse, unemployment, and disease. People of all social classes, race, gender, and religious affiliations joined anti-liquor organizations and sought to use moral persuasion to curb alcohol consumption. Many women were involved, even though they did not have the right to vote. Instead, they sponsored public events, established rooms stacked with prohibition literature, and canvassed for the prohibition vote. Virginians joined such organizations as the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, the Anti-Saloon League, and the Sons of Temperance, all of which carried the message of total abstinence from alcohol and encouraged political support for reform using pamphlets, novels, newspapers, music, sermons, lectures, and art.
The Bottle is a series of eight illustrated panels about the potential dangers of alcohol consumption. Originally published in England in 1847 by George Cruikshank, The Bottle became wildly popular, selling more than 100,000 copies in its first few days and inspiring plays in eight London theaters at the same time. The Bottle was exported to the United States, where, lacking a copyright, it was reproduced by several publishers. Plates 1 and 6 are shown here. The first plate shows a prosperous and happy family where “The Bottle is brought out for the first time: the husband induces his wife ‘Just to take a drop." The following plates show the deleterious effects of alcohol: the father loses his job, they sell their belongings, the baby dies, the children beg in the street. In plate 6 the same family is featured. They are in the same room as the first panel, but the drunken father is attacking his wife and his children try to restrain him as a concerned neighbor bursts into the room.
Inspired by images such as these and encouraged by the rise of anti-alcohol tracts and lectures, Americans jumped on the temperance bandwagon. The Civil War swept these concerns to the side, but by the 1880s the temperance movement had spread widely. Voters in many counties and states across the nation to vote to ban alcohol, including in Virginia, which enacted a statewide ban on alcohol in 1916, four years before national Prohibition was implemented.
RELATED DOCUMENTS: To see all eight panels, visit the Library of Virginia's UncommonWealth blog post on The Temperance Movement and the Road to Prohibition.
Citations:History: VS.8, VS.9, USI.8, USII.4, USII.6, CE.6, CE.10, VUS.8, VUS.10, GOVT.7, GOVT.9
Art: 4.1, 5.1
Preview Activity
Look at it: Look at the images. What do you think is the subject of the images?
Post Activities
Current Connections: How would you change or update these drawings to show the dangers of opiates or other potentially addictive substances?
Think About it: If you were a member of this family, what would, or could you have done to stop this chain of events?
Social Media Spin: Create a post in which you promote temperance for the 21st Century. Include information which might sway a person to seek treatment for alcohol or drug addiction.
Illustrated periodicals like Harper's Weekly were popular with Americans in the middle of the 19th century. After southern states formed the Confederate States of America, residents there could not easily receive newspapers and magazines printed in the northern states. The Southern Illustrated News was founded in 1862 in Richmond and remained in print, with some interruptions, until 1865. Illustrated periodicals often included political cartoons, which were popular and provided a visual way to express opinions and concerns. They are often satirical, using humor, exaggeration, irony, and ridicule to persuade a reader to think about current events from a particular point of view.
This political cartoon lampoons Lincoln’s revolving door of United States Army generals who had faced—and been defeated by—Confederate forces in Virginia. After General Winfield Scott retired at the beginning of the Civil War, several generals had been placed at the head of the Army of the Potomac or in charge of armies attempting to secure the Shenandoah Valley. In the cartoon, the “toys” have been stripped of their army general uniforms and located on a shelf with other former generals. Lincoln is shown holding the latest general puppet, Joseph “Fighting Joe” Hooker, who commanded the Army of the Potomac from January to June 1863.
The generals depicted are:
Winfield Scott, who was Commanding General of the United States Army until resigning in November 1861.
Brigadier General Irvin McDowell, who commanded the Army of Northeastern Virginia when it was defeated at the First Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) in 1861.
Major General John C. Fremont, who commanded the Mountain Department and was unable to defeat Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign in 1862.
Major General Nathaniel Banks, who was also unable to defeat Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign in 1862.
Major General John Pope, who commanded the Army of Virginia at the time of its defeat at the Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) in 1862.
Major General George B. McClellan, who commanded the Army of the Potomac during the failed Peninsula Campaign to capture Richmond in 1862.
Major General Ambrose Burnside, who succeeded McClellan as commander of the Army of the Potomac but was relieved of command after his costly defeat at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862.
Major General Joseph Hooker, who took command of the Army of the Potomac in 1863, but was defeated at the Battle of Chancellorsville two months after this cartoon appeared and resigned his post.
Citation: “Master Abraham Lincoln Gets a New Toy,” Southern Illustrated News, 28 May 1863, Richmond, Va.: Ayres & Wade, 1862-1865. Special Collections, Library of Virginia.
Preview Activity
Take a Look: Look at the political cartoon, what do you notice about the image? What does it tell you about the subject of the image?
Post Activities
Analyze: Explain the imagery and title of the cartoon as a tool of criticism. How might this depiction have influenced readers of the paper?
Social Media Spin: Create a social media post in which you create a meme or political cartoon based on the same events for a modern audience.
Another perspective: Write a response to the political cartoon in which Lincoln’s struggle to retain generals is seen in a sympathetic light. Be sure to present your information in a way which would persuade others to support Lincoln.
As women participated in the movement to abolish slavery during the first half of the 19th century, some of them also began to advocate for women's rights. In July 1848, a group of women and men held a convention in Seneca Falls, New York. They signed a "Declaration of Sentiments," drafted by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, which called for women's equality and the right to vote, also known as suffrage. As the woman suffrage movement gained more support throughout the country, it also raised a great deal of public scrutiny. Many people, including women, questioned how women would be able to meet the demands of their domestic duties at home while participating in public activities, such as attending political rallies or making speeches. Since the colonial era, women in America had been considered a dependent class, under the responsibility of their fathers, husbands, or brothers. The growing women's rights movement challenged the prevailing social norms.
Political cartoons have often been used to express opinions and concerns. They are often satirical, using humor, exaggeration, irony, and ridicule to persuade a reader to think about current events from a particular point of view. In this Currier and Ives cartoon published in 1869, "Age of Brass: Or the Triumphs of Woman's Rights," the cartoonist depicted a scene of what might happen if women were given the right to vote. It shows a group of extravagantly dressed women lined up at the ballot box to vote for "The Celebrated Man Tamer: Susan Sharp-Tongue" and for "Miss Hangman" as sheriff. At the end of the line is a woman holding up her fist to a man carrying a baby, highlighting the potential effects of gender role reversal as women took on different roles in society. The women are wearing very elaborate and somewhat masculine-looking clothing and some are smoking cigars, none of which was considered respectable, feminine behavior at that time.
Citation: “The Age of Brass: Or the Triumphs of Woman's Rights.” lithograph. [New York]: Currier & Ives, 1869. Visual Studies Collection, Library of Virginia.
Preview Activity
Take a Look: Look at the policitcal cartoon. What do you notice about it? What do you think is the purpose? Pay attention to the appearances of the characters and the writing included in the image.
Post Activities
Current Connections: How would this lithograph be different if it were produced today for a women's-rights-related issue? How would the imagery and message change to suit modern times?
Think About It: Identify and list specific imagery in this lithograph that seeks to place women on a more equal playing field with men. To what extent are the images successful?
The Richmond Planet was first published in 1882, seventeen years after the end of the Civil War. The thirteen founders (including James H. Hayes, James H. Johnston, E.R. Carter, Walter Fitzhugh, Henry Hucles, Albert V. Norrell, Benjamin A. Graves, James E. Merriweather, Edward A. Randolph, William H. Andrews and Reuben T. Hill) were former slaves who pooled their meager resources to start the Richmond Planet, which was destined to play an important part in shaping the opinions of individuals in Richmond, Virginia, and the nation.
The Planet's first editor-in-chief was Edwin Archer Randolph, a Yale graduate and a leading politician of his day. James E. Merriwether, an educator and civic leader, and E.R. Carter, also prominent in politics, served under Randolph as contributing editors. Reuben T. Hill was selected to manage the paper while the other members of the group, who were mostly employed as public school teachers, made occasional written contributions to the paper.
In 1884, 21-year-old John Mitchell Jr., succeeded Randolph and continued as editor-in-chief for the next 45 years. Mitchell wasted little time; he replaced much of the press equipment, contributed his own artwork to the paper’s impressive design, and increased circulation to the point that the newspaper eventually turned a modest profit. By 1904, the Richmond Planet had reached a weekly circulation of 4,200. The paper quickly gained a reputation as a staunch defender of the African American community and a voice against racial injustice. The paper covered local, national, and international news. However, the paper become known for focusing on segregation, the actions of the Ku Klux Klan, voting rights, and occurrences of lynching. The Richmond Planet became one the South’s most forceful Black voices. The Planet thus reached far beyond Richmond, achieving prominence—and a degree of notoriety—throughout the South.
Under Mitchell, the Planet's masthead, the "Strong Arm" was created. It depicted a flexed bicep surrounded by shock waves that radiated out from a clenched fist, reflecting the force and energy with which Mitchell projected his opinions. Undeterred by people who opposed his work, Mitchell's stories, editorials, and cartoons denounced racial prejudice and exposed those who perpetrated acts of violence against the African Americans.
Citation: Richmond Planet Masthead, Dec. 15, 1923, Richmond Planet, Richmond, Virginia: Newspapers, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
For more information click here.
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the masthead image. What information does it provide about the issues and people who made up the audience for this publication?
Post Activities
Analyze: Why was the Richmond Planet an important newspaper? How did it influence journalism in its time of publication?
Current Connections: How does the Richmond Planet continue to influence and inform 21st century journalists and writers? Why does it still hold an important place in newspaper and media history?
Cocoonry Building, Photograph, Prince William County, circa 1900
Silk has been produced and sold as a consumer good for thousands of years. The origin of silk production was in China and the earliest known examples date to 3000 B.C.E. For centuries, the trade routes known as the Silk Road stretched beween Europe and East Asia. The Chinese kept their manufacturing process a closely guarded secret, but eventually silkworm cocoons and seeds for mulberry trees (the food source for silkworms) were smuggled to other parts of Asia and to Europe, where manufacturers in areas of France and Italy became the leading producers of silk in Europe. Later, large groups of skilled Flemish and French weavers fled to England as a result of religious persecution, and an industrial complex for silk weaving developed in the 1620s at Spitalfields near London.
Producing silk is complex and requires specialized skills. The silkworm moth (Bombyx mori) has been domesticated for centuries. The result is a creature which is bred and raised on farms with wings too weak to fly and legs unable to crawl more than a foot or so. Silkworms are totally reliant on humans and are very labor-intensive, as they require specific dietary and habitat conditions to thrive. Silkworm larvae begin eating as soon as they emerge. They molt or shed their skin four times and become larger each time they molt. The larvae will grow up to 10,000 times their weight as they eat mulberry leaves almost continually soon after they hatch. Once the silkworms stop eating, their human caretakers build specially constructed frames which provide support and protection for the valuable cocoons. The cocoons are produced when the worm’s silk glands are fully developed, and they begin to secrete a sticky substance called sericin along with the silk threads. The silk threads harden in the air as the larva moves its head in a figure eight pattern. After the larva creates a support for a cocoon, it spins a cocoon from a single, continuous thread of silk which can be over a mile long. The process of spinning a cocoon can take two days to complete. The worm then enters its pupa stage, which, if allowed to continue, will result in an adult moth in about three weeks. Most of the insects, however, are killed with heat in the pupae stage, as they damage the cocoon when they emerge as adults and the heat does not damage the silk.
Given the popularity of silk in England and the development of silk production in Europe, King James I and others encouraged silk production in Virginia in the 17th century. The specialized labor force required, the limited diet of the silkworm (the larvae did not like the native mulberry trees), and the development of tobacco as a more successful cash crop ensured sericulture's failure in the colony. However, small scale silk manufacturing had a resurgence in the 19th century and early in the 20th century in Virginia. The cocoonry building seen in the photograph is an example of the silk industry in Prince William County. The building likely dates back to an earlier time period and was probably no longer used to raise silkworms when the photograph was taken. However, it is one of the few remaining structures attributed to the silk industry in Virginia. Today, most silk is produced in China, Japan, or Korea, with small quantities harvested in Russia and other countries.
Citation: Cocoonry, Mountain View, 1900, Virginia W.P.A Historical Inventory Project, Library of Virginia.
History: VS.1, VS.2 VS.3, VS.4, USI.1, USI.2, USI.3, USI.4, WHII.4, VUS.1, VUS.2, VUS.3
Science: 3.5, 4.5, BIO.7, BIO.8, ES.6, ES.8
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the photograph, what might the building have been used for? Why do you think this?
Post Activities
STEM STAT: English colonists at Jamestown attempted to raise silkworms but found the silkworms to be demanding as they required Asian mulberries and special living conditions to thrive. They also did not handle the heat and humidity of the Tidewater region well. How did the attempts at raising silkworms change the environment? Why might the environment and technological advancements in building design allowed for more success with silkworms in northern Virginia in the 19th century?
Think About It: Consider the challenges in raising silkworms and producing silk. Why do you think the English persisted in their quest to raise silkworms despite the odds?
Another Perspective: Silk was an expensive and popular material in England. Although there was a means to produce silk products in England and Europe, why would the English want to attempt to produce it in the New World? Consider the challenges of raising silkworms and the climate in England.
John Mitchell Jr. Obituary Announcement, Richmond, 1929
John Mitchell Jr., was the determined and pioneering force behind the success of the Richmond Planet newspaper. Mitchell was born into slavery at Laburnum near Richmond on July 11, 1863. He was the son of John Mitchell and Rebecca Mitchell, who were enslaved by James Lyons, a lawyer and legislator. After his family was emancipated at the end of the Civil War, they remained at Laburnum. Mitchell’s mother taught him how to read and he was able to enroll in school, first at a private school and then at one of Richmond’s public schools, Navy Hill School, early in the 1870s. From 1876 to 1881 he studied at the Richmond Colored Normal School, a high school that specialized in training African American teachers. Mitchell graduated in 1881 as the valedictorian of his class.
Mitchell began his teaching career in Fredericksburg, but returned to Richmond to teach at the Valley School in 1883. A year later the newly appointed school board fired him and 10 other African American teachers. In 1883, Mitchell began writing for the New York Globe and journalism became his focus. In December 1884, at age twenty-one, he became editor of the weekly Richmond Planet. The early years of the publication were a financial struggle, as he edited and published the paper out of his room in a boarding house. The paper soon achieved greater readership and success. Mitchell purchased an electric printing press in 1888 and moved the paper’s headquarters to the Swan Tavern on Broad Street (where the Library of Virginia stands today). The Richmond Planet gained national prominence as an advocate of racial justice and civil rights. The Richmond Planet was a forerunner for other publications and was recognized for Mitchell’s groundbreaking antilynching efforts, which included extensive coverage of lynching cases, lists of lynching victims, and graphic images of lynchings. He also interceded on the behalf of unjustly convicted African Americans by arranging legal counsel, appealing to government officials, and raising funds.
Mitchell used his stature as a "crusading newspaper editor" to propel himself into a political career. In the spring of 1892 he was elected to Richmond's Board of Aldermen from Jackson Ward, and he was re-elected in 1894. He ran for governor in 1921, when African American Republicans named their own ticket in opposition to white Republicans who had excluded them from the party convention. Mitchell’s campaign was controversial and ultimately unsuccessful as he lost the race. Other Black newspapers in Virginia opposed his campaign as they felt it would divide the Black vote.
Mitchell’s troubles continued when the Mechanics Savings Bank that he had established in 1901 fell into crisis in 1922. Mitchell was accused of misusing the bank’s funds. The case was eventually heard by the state Supreme Court, which ruled in his favor and charges were dropped. The community rallied around Mitchell and tried to save the bank while also contributing to his defense fund. Despite their efforts, the bank closed in 1922 and was placed in receivership in 1923. Mitchell was left with no savings and his assets, including the Richmond Planet headquarters, were sold to pay his debts.
Citation: John Mitchell Jr., Obituary Announcement, 7 December 1929, Richmond Planet, Richmond, Virginia: Newspapers, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
Read the full obituary here.
Learn more about John Mitchell Jr., in the Dictionary of Virginia Biography here.
Click here for more information about the Richmond Planet.
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the image from the front page of the Richmond Planet. What does the headline tell you about the subject of the article?
Post Activities
Be the Journalist: What would you write about John Mitchell Jr? Write a paragraph in which you highlight his most significant achievements. Be sure to include why you chose those specific achievements.
Current Connections: What do you think John Mitchell Jr’s legacy is in the fields of education, civics, and journalism? Why do you think his story is relevant today?
Artistic Expression: Design an image depicting the life and death of John Mitchell Jr.
Mosque (Altria) Theater, Program Cover, Richmond, 1927
In 1918, Clinton L. Williams, the leader of the local chapter of the ACCA Shriners fraternal organization, conceived an elaborate new “temple” to house the activities and growing needs of the chapter. The Shriners, as they are known, have had a significant impact on communities around the world through their charitable works, particularly in the areas of health care and rehabilitation.
The Mosque Theater was designed by architects Marcellus Wright, Sr., Charles M. Robinson, and Charles Custer Robinson to reflect the Moorish Revival style. It took seven years of planning and two years of construction to complete the building, which cost $1.65 million (roughly equivalent to $19 million in the 21st century). It opened in 1927 with a 4,600-seat theater, 18 dressing rooms, four lounges, six lobbies, 42 hotel rooms, a gym, locker rooms, a pool, a small bowling alley, offices, and a restaurant.
In 1940, the city of Richmond bought the building from the Shriners. The building was continued to be used as a theater, but the basement was converted into a training facility for the Richmond City Police Department. In 1994, the city began restoring the theatre to its original appearance, although the interior was redesigned to include a grand ballroom, and it was renamed the Landmark Theater in 1995. In 2014, the Altria Company provided $10 million for extensive renovations and the building was renamed the Altria Theater.
Located at the west end of Monroe Park in Richmond, the theater plays host to a variety of events including Broadway shows, concerts, lectures, and school commencements.
Citation: Mosque Theater Program, Visual Studies Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
Preview Activity
Look at it: Look at the building depicted on the program cover. What do you think it was used for? Why?
Post Activities
STEM Stat: The original structure of the theater was built in the 1920s and the most recent renovation occurred in 2014. How did the science and technology in the field of architecture change in that time? How is the theater a real-world example of advancements in the architecture and the application of scientific knowledge?
Artistic Expression: The Moorish Revival style included decorative ornamentation drawn from historical sources including the arches, elaborate tile work, and carved wood. It was a popular style in the in the early 20th century. Design a new program cover for a modern audience in which you include more of these details in your depiction of the building.
Think About It: The theater was renamed several times in its history. What does this tell you about the influence of business, social, and political interests when it comes to remaining buildings? Has the way these decisions are made changed over time? Explain.
Arthur Robert Ashe was a Black tennis player and human rights activist who became one of the greatest tennis players in American history. To date he is the first and only Black man to win the singles title in three of tennis' Grand Slam events, the U.S. Open (1968), the Australian Open (1970), and Wimbledon (1975) as well as the doubles title in the French Open (1971) and Australian Open (1977). Ashe was also the first Black male player on the U.S. Davis Cup team. He was given the prestigious title of Davis Cup captain. The photograph was taken at the 1970 Fidelity Banker Invitational Tennis Tournament Richmond Invitational Tennis Tournament at the height of Ashe’s tennis career.
Ashe was born on July 10, 1943 in Richmond, Virginia. He grew up in a segregated community. He was banned from playing and practicing on the city's tennis courts, which were only open to white players at that time. Ashe was, however, able to find coaches who were willing to assist in his development as a player, in both Richmond and Lynchburg, Virginia. Although he was banned from competing in many elite tennis competitions that were open to whites only, his talent did not go unseen. After graduating as valedictorian of his high school class, Ashe was offered a scholarship to play tennis at the University of California at Los Angeles. Ashe soared in academics and athletics during his time at UCLA. He helped his team win the national championship. After receiving a business degree from UCLA, Ashe joined the U.S Army and served for 2 years while still competing in professional tennis competitions.
As a well-known civil rights activist, Ashe was clear about his opposition to the apartheid system in South Africa which oppressed and suppressed Black South Africans. Ashe’s open criticism of the apartheid government led to his visa being denied when he applied to play in the 1970 South African Open. This only encouraged him to apply repeatedly for visas and to continue to speak out against apartheid. In 1973, Ashe was granted a visa to travel and play in the South African Open. He promptly won the title in doubles and finished second in the singles division. He would go on to win more championships and use his prominent role in tennis as a means to make social change.
Towards the end of his career Ashe suffered from heart problems. He retired from tennis with an overall record (Open era) of 33 titles. In retirement, Ashe focused his efforts on humanitarian work. He a sponsored an extensive research project resulting in a three-volume history, A Hard Road to Glory: A History of the African-American Athlete. Ashe's ongoing heart problems, however, necessitated multiple surgeries, including a blood transfusions. It was from the blood transfusions that Ashe contracted the HIV virus which causes AIDS. The HIV/ AIDS virus was not well known at the time, and research was only in the beginning stages. At the time Ashe contracted HIV, it was almost always a death sentence.
Ashe decided to keep his diagnosis private, but felt he had to share it publicly before USA Today ran a story on him having the virus. Following Ashe's announcement, he concentrated his efforts on research and education regarding HIV/AIDS. Ashe left a legacy not only in world of tennis, but also in the creation of Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health which still operates today. He also established the Virginia Heroes program which provides role models and mentors to middle school students in Richmond Public Schools.
Arthur Ashe died on February 6, 1993 in his hometown of Richmond, Virginia. Flags flew at half-mast and his casket lay in state in the Executive Mansion. To honor his life and legacy, the main stadium at the United States Tennis Center, home of the U.S. Open, in New York City is named Arthur Ashe Stadium. In Richmond, a statue is dedicated to him near the Virginia Fine Arts Museum and a major city thoroughfare was re-named Arthur Ashe Boulevard.
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the photograph; what is happening in the image? Why might have this event been important?
Post Activities
Analyze: Why would Ashe have separated himself from his ties to Richmond and Virginia for a long period of time? Consider how he was treated in his youth as an aspiring tennis player and what he had to go through to achieve his goal.
Current Connections: Is there a current athlete who you would identify as having broken down barriers in a similar way? If so, describe him or her.
Arthur Robert Ashe was a Black tennis player and human rights activist who became one of the greatest tennis players in American history. To date he is the first and only Black man to win the singles title in three of tennis' Grand Slam events, the U.S. Open (1968), the Australian Open (1970), and Wimbledon (1975) as well as the doubles title in the French Open (1971) and Australian Open (1977). Ashe was also the first Black male player on the U.S. Davis Cup team. He was given the prestigious title of Davis Cup captain. The photograph was taken at the 1971 Richmond Invitational Tennis Tournament at the height of Ashe’s tennis career.
Ashe was born on July 10, 1943 in Richmond, Virginia. He grew up in a segregated community. He banned from playing and practicing on the city's tennis courts, which were only open to white players at that time. Ashe was, however, able to find coaches who were willing to assist in his development as a player, in both Richmond and Lynchburg, Virginia. Although he was banned from competing in many elite tennis competitions that were open to whites only, his talent did not go unseen. After graduating as valedictorian of his high school class, Ashe was offered a scholarship to play tennis at the University of California at Los Angeles. Ashe soared in academics and athletics during his time at UCLA. He helped his team win the national championship. After receiving a business degree from UCLA, Ashe joined the U.S Army and served for 2 years while still competing in professional tennis competitions.
As a well-known civil rights activist, Ashe was clear about his opposition to the apartheid system in South Africa which oppressed and suppressed Black South Africans. Ashe’s open criticism of the Apartheid government led to his visa being denied when he applied to play in the 1970 South African Open. This only encouraged him to apply repeatedly for visas and to continue to speak out against apartheid. In 1973, Ashe was granted a visa to travel and play in the South African Open. He promptly won the title in doubles and finished second in the singles division. He would go on to win more championships and use his prominent role in tennis as a means to make social change.
Towards the end of his career Ashe suffered from heart problems. He retired from tennis with an overall record (Open era) of 33 titles. In retirement, Ashe focused his efforts on humanitarian work. He a sponsored an extensive research project resulting in a three-volume history, A Hard Road to Glory: A History of the African-American Athlete. Ashe's ongoing heart problems, however, necessitated multiple surgeries, including a blood transfusions. It was from the blood transfusions that Ashe contracted the HIV virus which causes AIDS. The HIV/ AIDS virus was not well known as the time and research was only in the beginning stages. At the time Ashe contracted HIV, it was almost always a death sentence.
Ashe decided to keep his diagnosis private, but felt he had to share it publicly before USA Today ran a story on him having the virus. Following Ashe's announcement, he concentrated his efforts on research and education regarding HIV/AIDS. Ashe left a legacy not only in world of tennis, but also in the creation of Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health which still operates today. He also established the Virginia Heroes program which provides role models and mentors to middle school students in Richmond Public Schools.
Arthur Ashe died on February 6, 1993 in his hometown of Richmond, Virginia. Flags flew at half-mast and his casket lay in state in the Executive Mansion. To honor his life and legacy, the main stadium at the Untitled States Tennis Center, home the US Open, in New York City is named Arthur Ashe Stadium. In Richmond, a statue is dedicated to him near the Virginia Fine Arts Museum and a major city thoroughfare was re-named Arthur Ashe Boulevard.
Citations: Arthur Ashe—Arthur Ashe at serve, Central Fidelity Bank Invitational Tennis Tournament, 1971 Robert Hart Photograph Collection. Manuscripts & Special Collections, Visual Studies Collection, Library of Virginia. Arthur Ashe. In Virginia Memory. Retrieved From http://www.virginiamemory.com/online_classroom/lesson_plans/arthur_ashe [viewed 2 September 2015]
Kneebone, John T. "Ashe, Arthur Robert." Dictionary of Virginia Biography, Vol. 1:226-228. John T. Kneebone, J. Jefferson Looney, Brent Tarter, and Sandra Gioia Treadway, editors. Richmond, VA: The Library of Virginia,1998.
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the photograph, what is happening in the image? Why might have this event been important?
Post Activities
Analyze: How did Arthur Ashe leverage his popularity to become a voice for civil rights and early HIV/AIDS research? What other skills did he have which may have been relevant to his success? Explain.
Current Connections: HIV/AIDS is a virus that was not well understood in the early 1990’s. Considering the recent Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, has our collective understanding of how viruses operate changed? Why is more research needed to address viruses like HIV still needed? Explain.
Social Media Spin: create a social media to describe the drama and excitement of this photo. Use detail from events in Ashe’s life in the post.