Arthur Ashe continues to touch lives. A new documentary will explore the Hall of Famer and civil rights' warrior's impact on social rights causes.
Citizen Ashe, a new documentary directed by Rex Miller and Sam Pollard, will debut in 2022 on CNN Films and HBO Max, The Hollywood Reporter reports.
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Ashe’s widow, photographer Jeanne Moutousammy-Ashe, his brother, Johnnie Ashe, friend and colleague Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, whom Ashe played doubles with and later coached as U.S. Davis Cup captain, Donald Dell and Professor Harry Edwards are among those who have been interviewed for the documentary.
Ashe, a global ambassador for equality and human rights, overcame segregation and racial roadblocks throughout his life. Ashe made history as the first African American man to win the US Open, Australian Open and Wimbledon. Ashe, who served in the U.S. Army from 1966-68 reaching the rank of first lieutenant, led the fight against Apartheid and made history as the first black pro to compete in South Africa's championships in 1973.
Arthur Ashe died of AIDS-related pneumonia in New York at the age of 49 on February 6, 1993. Ashe's body was laid in state at the Governor’s mansion in his hometown of Richmond, Virginia. Ashe was the first person to lie in state at the mansion since the Confederate general Stonewall Jackson in 1863.
“Our film is a first-person exploration of Arthur Ashe in his own words, describing his own origin story as a social activist," co-director Rex Miller said. "He created a unique blueprint for advancing civil rights for disenfranchised and oppressed people throughout the world, amid a tumultuous time of demonstrations and assassinations. Citizen Ashe shows a true champion’s defining moments.”
Photo credit: International Tennis Hall of Fame