Dr. Robert Walter Johnson (1899-1971)

Q-6-27

The desegregation of tennis was due in large part to the efforts of Dr. R. Walter “Whirlwind” Johnson. The first African American to earn staff privileges at Lynchburg General Hospital, he also worked to overcome barriers keeping young African Americans out of tennis. As founder of the Junior Development Program of the American Tennis Association, Johnson sponsored African-American players from across the country in tournaments and coached and mentored them on a court here at his home. Among those he trained were Wimbledon Champions Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe. Johnson was posthumously inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009.

Department of Historic Resources, 2011

See a problem? Report it to HighwayMarkers@dhr.virginia.gov.

DHR could use your help! We don't have a recent image of this marker. If you have one that you'd like to submit for inclusion on this site, please send it to HighwayMarkers@dhr.virginia.gov.

References/Bibliographic Citation:

Dr. Robert Walter Johnson House and Tennis Court, National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, 2002; Althea Gibson with Richard Curtis, So Much to Live For, 1968; Johnson, Robert W., III, Interview, June 21,2001; Halsey Melone, "Dr. R. Walter Johnson - Changing the Color of Tennis," Washington Post Potomac Magazine, Washington, D.C., March 30, 1969, pp. 11-31; "Pioneer in Short White Pants," New York Times Magazine. New York, January 2, 1966, page 23; VDHR Intensive Survey: Dr. Walter Johnson House and Tennis Court, VDHR Archives. Richmond, Virginia, 1993