Arthur Ashe in action at the ABN World Tennis Tournament in the Netherlands on March 1, 1975 (Photo by Rob Bogaerts /Fotocollectie Anefo /Nationaal Archief)
Sept. 11 update: The public meeting at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts that was scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 13, has been postponed until Oct. 9 at 5:30 p.m. because of anticipated effects of Hurricane Florence.
A renewed effort to rename the Boulevard in honor of international tennis icon and hometown hero Arthur Ashe Jr. is moving forward with two events this week.
Kim Gray, who represents Richmond's 2nd District on City Council, plans to introduce an ordinance at the meeting tonight (Sept. 10) at 6 p.m. at City Hall. A draft of the resolution notes that he was "the only African-American man ever to win the singles titles at Wimbledon, the United States Open, and the Australian Open" and achieved the ranking of top male tennis player in the world. After his tennis career, the resolution notes, Ashe "became a writer, a commentator, and an advocate for civil rights issues; actively protested against apartheid in South Africa; led the United States Davis Cup team for several years; and authored the three-volume treatise on African-Americans in sports entitled 'A Hard Road to Glory: A History of the African-American Athlete.' "
On Thursday, Sept. 13, at 5:30 p.m. — weather permitting — Gray will hold a public meeting at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to discuss the proposal. The choice of the VMFA as a meeting place reflects strong support from museum director Alex Nyerges, says David Harris Jr., Ashe's nephew. Nyerges recently told the Richmond Times-Dispatch, "I firmly believe that this idea is both wonderful and its time is now."
Harris says his interest in the effort grew as the city made public the possible demolition of the existing Arthur Ashe Center. Located at intersection of Robin Hood Road and North Boulevard, the center is used by Richmond Public Schools as an athletic and utility space. Demolition of the building would remove the only property named after Ashe in the city, other than the tribute on Monument Avenue. As Harris points out, “They can name a stadium after him in New York, and all Richmond has is a statue.”
Two previous efforts to rename the Boulevard for Ashe ended in acrimony. Now, however, Harris and Gray say they believe Richmond is moving beyond some of the tensions of the past. When asked why the move is being made to rename Boulevard the whole distance from Byrd Park to Brookland Parkway and Westwood Avenue,, Gray explains that it is one more step in drawing the city together. In particular, she notes, “He was turned away from the Byrd Park tennis courts because he was black.”
She adds that “it’s an effort to continue breaking Richmond’s longstanding segregation versus furthering it. After all, Richmond has come a long way since 1993 and 2003,” when the previous efforts at renaming were made.
This week's meetings come on the heels of an announcement last week that members of Virginia's congressional delegation — U.S. Reps A. Donald McEachin (D-4th) and Bobby Scott (D-3rd), and Democratic U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner — along with U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), would introduce a bicameral resolution honoring Ashe’s "humanitarian contributions to civil rights, education, the movement against apartheid in South Africa, and HIV/AIDS awareness" on the 50th anniversary of Ashe's win at the 1968 U.S. Open.
“Ashe’s contributions to American history continue to make his fellow Richmonders proud — just as we were on the historic day 50 years ago,” McEachin says in a statement.
Harris and Gray say that public and business support have been strong. Gray says she expects a vote on her ordinance to take place in late September or early October.