Nehemiah Atkinson facts for kids

Nehemiah Atkinson (1918–2003) was a professional tennis player and coach from New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He managed public tennis centers in New Orleans. He also played tennis competitively even when he was older. He was especially known for teaching tennis to young African-Americans, especially those who didn't have many opportunities.

Growing Up and Learning Tennis

Nehemiah Atkinson was born in 1918 in Biloxi, Mississippi. He was the first of ten children. His family moved to New Orleans just before the Great Depression. His father became a bishop there.

Nehemiah went to New Orleans Public Schools for two years of high school. He started playing tennis when he was nine years old. He learned on his own, without a coach. He loved the sport, even though mostly white people played it at the time.

Serving His Country

During World War II, Nehemiah joined the United States Army. He was part of the Black Corps of Engineers. This group built airstrips in places like Washington state, Alaska, and islands in the South Pacific. Nehemiah worked as a medical corpsman, helping soldiers with their health.

He returned to New Orleans in December 1945. After that, he studied offset printing at a school in Farmerville, Louisiana.

Helping Young People

Later, Nehemiah worked at the Dryades Street branch of the YMCA in New Orleans. He organized many activities, especially for young people. He started and taught tennis classes for them.

The local Coca-Cola Bottling Company sponsored the YMCA. They noticed Nehemiah's good work. They hired him as a night supervisor.

Nehemiah's Tennis Journey

The Atkinson-Stern Tennis Center in New Orleans, named in part for Nehemiah Atkinson.

In 1947, Nehemiah helped start the New Orleans Hard Court Tennis Club. This club gave African-Americans a chance to play competitive tennis. At that time, society was segregated, meaning Black and white people were kept separate. The club organized tennis tournaments, often held at Xavier University of Louisiana, which is a historically black university.

When he first started teaching, Nehemiah didn't have many resources. Sometimes, he used parking lots as makeshift tennis courts. He would use a modified volleyball net instead of a tennis net. He taught tennis to young people of all backgrounds.

Playing and Supporting Tennis

Nehemiah played in many tournaments organized by the American Tennis Association. He also volunteered for the association. This was important because, at the time, the United States Tennis Association did not allow African-American players. The American Tennis Association worked to help Black players get involved in tennis.

As a player, Nehemiah won about 15 regional tennis tournaments across the Southern United States.

In 1974, the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club moved. Its old location became the Stern Tennis Center. This center was part of the New Orleans Recreation Department. It welcomed African-Americans to play tennis. Nehemiah became the manager of this center. He worked there until he retired in 1995. He even mentored Lloyd Dillon, who took over as manager after him.

His Famous Students

Nehemiah coached many talented tennis players. Some of his notable students include Chanda Rubin and Sharon Pettis. Sharon Pettis later became a tennis coach at Marquette University. Nehemiah also helped Pettis get a scholarship to play on the men's tennis team at Southern University. This showed he was breaking barriers in both race and gender. Pettis later worked as a tennis instructor for the New Orleans Recreation Department, just like Nehemiah.

Nehemiah also wrote a column for the Louisiana Weekly newspaper. It was called "Hard Court Tennis Notes." Most of its readers were African-American tennis players.

Facing Segregation

Much of Nehemiah's career happened during the time of the Jim Crow laws in the South. These laws enforced racial segregation. He often faced unfair treatment at tennis tournaments where Black and white players competed together. People sometimes threw things at him. He also received unfair foot-fault calls and was sometimes verbally abused by officials.

After segregation ended in the Deep South, Nehemiah became a member of the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club. He had been kept out of this club before because of his race. This was the most respected tennis club in New Orleans. It was also the oldest tennis club in the United States, founded in 1876. It only became racially integrated in 1986.

In the 1960s, a local tennis player named Harry Anisgard tried to get Nehemiah into the formerly all-white New Orleans City Park Tennis Club. Because of this, Anisgard was kicked out of the club. However, the club soon regretted their decision and let Anisgard back in. Ironically, Nehemiah himself sponsored Anisgard's return.

Playing Tennis as a Senior

Nehemiah continued to play tennis as he got older. He won many championships as a senior player.

• In 1989 and 1990, he won the Men’s 65 Singles Championships.
• From 1994 to 1997, and again in 2000 and 2001, he won the Men’s 70+ Singles.
• In 1993, he was named Player of the Year by the United States Professional Tennis Registry.

In 1999, Nehemiah won the 80s National Hard Court Championship in San Diego, California. With a doubles partner, he also won the World International Senior Tennis Championship in Barcelona, Spain. In 2001, he won the World Men's 80s Grasscourt Championship in Perth, Australia.

Nehemiah once said about his success in senior tennis:

"I’ve got better wheels than most people I play. Also, I play a lot of young folks and I’m simply out on the court a lot. Tennis keeps you young. It stimulates your heart, keeps your body in shape and your eyes sharp."

Later Life and Legacy

Nehemiah Atkinson passed away from cancer in 2003. He was buried at the Biloxi National Cemetery.

Honors and Recognition

The Atkinson-Stern Tennis Center in uptown New Orleans is named in honor of Nehemiah Atkinson and a kind person named Edgar B. Stern.

Nehemiah was a pallbearer at the funeral of famous tennis star Arthur Ashe.

In 1977, Nehemiah received the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Ripple of Hope Award. He was also the first African-American person to be included in the Southern Tennis Hall of Fame.

In 2000, Nehemiah Atkinson was inducted into the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame.

The Louisiana Tennis Association gives out the Nehemiah Atkinson Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award in his honor. The Professional Tennis Registry Foundation also gives the Nehemiah Atkinson Humanitarian Grant. This grant goes to someone who has done a lot to improve the lives of others. As a senior tennis player, he received the T.N. Touchstone, Jr. Memorial Trophy for his great sportsmanship and support of tennis in the South.