Arthur Ashe created the National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) which inspired Todd Martin to create a similar program in Lansing. The Todd Martin development fund is founded under the NJTL. Arthur Ashe is still celebrated today, with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage given out at the ESPYS every year and the Center Court at the US Open is named after him. He is the only African American to win titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open. He also won Sports Illustrated's Sportman of the year, which is arguably the most prestigious award in sports.
Arthur Ashe not only was extremely successful on the court, but it can be argued that he had a greater influence on America off the court. Not only did he create the NJTL, but he was a leader in the fight for racial equality throughout the world. He helped the fight to end Apartheid and the treatment of Haitian refugees. He contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion and when asked if AIDS was the hardest thing he had to deal with he replied, "No, the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with is being a black man in this society." Arthur Ashe died of AIDS in 1993, but his impact is still felt in my life in addition to millions of others.
Arthur Ashe not only was extremely successful on the court, but it can be argued that he had a greater influence on America off the court. Not only did he create the NJTL, but he was a leader in the fight for racial equality throughout the world. He helped the fight to end Apartheid and the treatment of Haitian refugees. He contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion and when asked if AIDS was the hardest thing he had to deal with he replied, "No, the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with is being a black man in this society." Arthur Ashe died of AIDS in 1993, but his impact is still felt in my life in addition to millions of others.