Hubert A. Eaton facts for kids
| Country (sports) |  United States |
|---|---|
| Born | December 2, 1916 |
| Died | September 4, 1991 |
| Singles | |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| US Open | 1R (1954) |
Hubert Arthur Eaton (1916–1991) was an American doctor, a champion for equal rights, and a talented tennis player from North Carolina. He worked hard to make sure everyone had fair access to public places and services.
A Talented Tennis Player
Hubert Eaton grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. His father was also a doctor. Hubert loved tennis and was very good at it. He won the national junior championship of the American Tennis Association (ATA) in 1933. The ATA was a tennis group for African-American players. Because of his tennis skills, he earned a scholarship to Johnson C. Smith University.
Later, he won the ATA national doubles championship. He also helped coach and guide Althea Gibson, who became the first African-American to win at Wimbledon! In 1954, he even played in a big U.S. tennis championship.
Fighting for Equal Rights
After medical school at the University of Michigan Medical School, Dr. Eaton became a doctor in Wilmington, North Carolina. He was a respected physician and a strong voice for civil rights. He believed everyone should be treated fairly, no matter their skin color.
Dr. Eaton worked to make sure all people could use public places like parks and schools. He also fought for African-American doctors to have the same rights as white doctors. This included being able to work in public hospitals.
Hospital Access for All
In 1956, Dr. Eaton took a public hospital to court. At that time, the hospital only allowed white doctors to work there. Dr. Eaton believed this was unfair and wrong. He won his case in court! This was a big step forward for equal rights in healthcare.
After winning, Dr. Eaton said that if you don't know what to do, "go to court." He felt it was the best way to make changes in Wilmington. Later, he also worked to make sure that hospital rooms were not separated by race. He wanted a hospital where all patients were treated equally.
