ABSTRACT
The Trailblazers set the stage for the formidable social activism that occurred beginning in 1970. Trailblazers “developed and made visible a critique of the status quo, formed initial organizations and networks, and articulated the issues that initially mobilized feminists into action” (Whittier, 1995, p. 59). The notable women who advocated for women’s equality early in tennis were Suzanne Lenglen, Althea Gibson, and Ann Haydon Jones. These women are each from different eras of tennis: Lenglen, the 1920s, Gibson, the 1950s, and Haydon Jones, the 1960s. Because the actions of these players were not joined by a collective, sustained effort and they remained solo actors, their efforts were easily dismissed by the establishment. However, they nevertheless paved the way for the collective social activism that would take place beginning in 1970.
