Ashe's assistance in ending apartheid began when his Visa was denied for the South African open in 1969.
This injustice sparked Ashe's campaign for change. He successfully called for South Africa's expulsion from the National Lawn Tennis Federation until South Africa changed its policies. South Africa was also banned from playing in the 1970 Davis Cup.
"You learn about equality in history and civics, but you find out life is not really like that." - Arthur Ashe
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In 1973, South Africa succumbed to Ashe's pressure, granting his Visa to play in the South African Open. He demanded desegregated seating during his matches.
"When he went down there it was very, very big news. That racial barrier had not been broken. So it was sort of like going to a party you're invited to but you know you're not really welcome." - Cliff Drysdale
http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SOAKR3715-0-7160&artno=0000120381&&shfilter=U&key=arthur%20ashe&title=Athletes%20and%20Activism&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N
"When he went down there it was very, very big news. That racial barrier had not been broken. So it was sort of like going to a party you're invited to but you know you're not really welcome." - Cliff Drysdale
http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SOAKR3715-0-7160&artno=0000120381&&shfilter=U&key=arthur%20ashe&title=Athletes%20and%20Activism&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N
Ashe came dangerously close to winning the tournament. He lost in the finals against Jimmy Connors. Ashe's achievement surprised South Africans, both black and white.
In October 1974, Ashe spoke about apartheid at MSU. He asked students to contact Ford and GM to see if their workforce was being racially discriminated against in South Africa. If so, he asked them to withdraw their business. Ashe only supported protest like this only if necessary. He believed negotiation and dialogue were the keys to success, not boycotts and strikes.
In 1977, Ashe produced the film "Sport and Apartheid" on ABC. The film informed millions of people about the impact sports have on apartheid.
On March 23, 1979, Ashe spoke on apartheid at Howard University. Ashe was a man of action, albeit peaceful action. He demonstrated this when his speech was interrupted by two students.
'Suddenly, they were yelling from the back of the hall, trying to drown me out.
"Uncle Tom! Uncle Tom! Arthur Ashe is an Uncle Tom and a traitor!"
I was stunned. From their accents, I recognized they were Africans.
"You betrayed us in South Africa! You betrayed your black brothers!" they insisted. "Shame on you, Arthur Ashe! Sit down and shut up!"
I stopped speaking, and they delivered a few remarks bitterly attacking my visits to South Africa. Once I recovered from the shock of being shouted down, which had never happened to me before, I became incensed. Without thinking, I broke one of my cardinal rules as a public speaker. I take pains to try to never embarrass a questioner, no matter how poorly phrased, inappropriate, or even impertinent the question. This time I decided not to hold back.
"Will you answer two questions for me?" I asked into the microphone. "Just two questions?"
They didn't answer me but I went on all the same.
"Why don't you tell everybody in this hall tonight why, if you are so brave and militant, you are hiding away in school in the United States and not confronting apartheid in South Africa, which is your homeland?"
The crowd murmured. No sound came from the protesters, except perhaps for a grinding of teeth.
"And also tell us how you as radicals expect to win international support for your cause when you give vent to your anger as you have done here tonight in disrupting my speech. What do you expect to achieve when you give in to passion and invective and surrender the high moral ground that alone can bring you victory?"
They made no attempt to answer my questions, but they also made no further attempt to disrupt my address.'
-Arthur Ashe in Days of Grace
'Suddenly, they were yelling from the back of the hall, trying to drown me out.
"Uncle Tom! Uncle Tom! Arthur Ashe is an Uncle Tom and a traitor!"
I was stunned. From their accents, I recognized they were Africans.
"You betrayed us in South Africa! You betrayed your black brothers!" they insisted. "Shame on you, Arthur Ashe! Sit down and shut up!"
I stopped speaking, and they delivered a few remarks bitterly attacking my visits to South Africa. Once I recovered from the shock of being shouted down, which had never happened to me before, I became incensed. Without thinking, I broke one of my cardinal rules as a public speaker. I take pains to try to never embarrass a questioner, no matter how poorly phrased, inappropriate, or even impertinent the question. This time I decided not to hold back.
"Will you answer two questions for me?" I asked into the microphone. "Just two questions?"
They didn't answer me but I went on all the same.
"Why don't you tell everybody in this hall tonight why, if you are so brave and militant, you are hiding away in school in the United States and not confronting apartheid in South Africa, which is your homeland?"
The crowd murmured. No sound came from the protesters, except perhaps for a grinding of teeth.
"And also tell us how you as radicals expect to win international support for your cause when you give vent to your anger as you have done here tonight in disrupting my speech. What do you expect to achieve when you give in to passion and invective and surrender the high moral ground that alone can bring you victory?"
They made no attempt to answer my questions, but they also made no further attempt to disrupt my address.'
-Arthur Ashe in Days of Grace
In 1980, Ashe went to the McEnroes and asked if John McEnroe Jr. would not play a match with Bjorn Borg in Bophuthatswana, South Africa. He explained that if McEnroe played in South Africa, he would appear to support apartheid. The match was set for December 6th, 1980. Thanks to Ashe, it never happened.
In 1983, Ashe continued his crusade by co-creating Artists and Athletes Against Apartheid. The organization's objective was to stop black musicians and athletes from performing or playing in South Africa to dissuade any association with them approving of South Africa's standards, including apartheid. The group talked about their campaign at the UN on September 14, 1983.
Ashe's final significant statement to his devotion to stopping apartheid came on January 11, 1985. Ashe participated in an anti-apartheid rally outside the South African Embassy in Washington D.C. He was arrested, but that was nothing compared to the satisfaction he got from displaying his feelings towards apartheid.
"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." - Arthur Ashe
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/arthur_ashe.html#6B4s1rlyEth5w5fL.99
"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." - Arthur Ashe
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/arthur_ashe.html#6B4s1rlyEth5w5fL.99