These Sisters Were Serving Long Before The Williams Sisters

peter sisters sitting together
Tremain Prioleau II
February 16, 2023

Margaret and Matilda Roumania Peters grew up in Washington D.C. playing tennis in local parks. They played so well as a doubles duo, they were scouted by the tennis coach at Tuskegee University.

The sisters stuck by each other no matter what. Margaret, the oldest, waited for her sister to graduate high school so they could enroll at Tuskegee together. They began playing for the American Tennis Association, a league formed for Black tennis players. The sisters made the Association a household name.

They dominated the league winning 14 doubles championships. Their accomplishments were massive but their influence was greater. As they were ascending the ranks, they inspired a young player named Althea Gibson. Gibson broke the color barrier as the first Black woman to play in the U.S. nationals.

When Althea Gibson made history, the Peters sisters were in their 30s. They understood that their love for tennis paved the way for Black women to dominate for years to come.

Chasing our dreams and passions is vital to our collective liberation. The Peters sisters remind us that we have a duty to live and dream because you never know who you could inspire with your own journey.

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