Adrienne Umeh is a contributor on arthurashe.org. She is a knowledgeable expert on Ashe's life.
Q: What do you think was Arthur Ashe's bravest or most honorable deed?
A:I think it takes a lot of courage to be arrested for your convictions. We are taught that it is very bad to ever be arrested and to overcome that stigma, especially when you know it will be publicized and in the newspapers, seems like a big deal to me.
Q: In your own words, describe what Ashe did for the black population of South Africa.
A: I think that by playing tennis against white players in front of them, he showed that blacks were equals and could compete with whites-for many this was the first time they would see a black person interacting on equal footing with a white person. I think he was also an important advocate in the public and to the world outside South Africa in calling for action and bringing the issue to the fore and that external pressure was one facto in helping lead to the changes that began in 1990.
Q: If you could describe Arthur Ashe with one word, what would it be?
A: Kind
Q: How did the people of South Africa (both blacks and whites) react to his campaign?
A: I can’t speak to this, read Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane