Jay-Z Creates US Open Arthur Ashe T-Shirt

Article written by: Asmara Wreksono
Posted on: October 8, 2009

Celebrity designers should always pick the most charitable causes to which to contribute. Jay-Z is no exception. Recently, the hip hop mogul designed a very special t-shirt for the US Open, in honor of tennis legend Arthur Ashe. The t-shirt is imprinted with Ashe’s silhouette in his signature serving stance.

Arthur Ashe experienced racism when he could not play against white tennis players because of segregation.  However it did not stop him from playing and this brought the Richmond-Virginia native as the first African-American to join the U.S. Davis Cup Team in 1963. Ashe also won the NCAA Singles Championship in 1965 and in 1968, he became the winner of the very first U.S. Open even before turning professional.  Ashe retired in 1980 after a series of winning tournaments including Australian Open and the Wimbledon, due to heart problems.

Ashe became a vocal advocate of equality and social justice as a result of his experience with racial prejudice.  Even after his retirement from professional tennis, Ashe kept on fighting for equality and was repeatedly arrested for protesting against the apharteid policy in South Africa.

Ashe died at age 49 on February 6, 1993 due to complications from AIDS called toxoplasmosis, which he was secretly battling for 5 years. In 1988 Ashe contracted HIV during the blood transfusions he had received during one of his two heart surgeries. Within the last year of his life, Ashe did much to call attention to AIDS sufferers worldwide.

In honor of Arthur Ashe’s accomplishments and good deeds, all proceeds of the Arthur Ashe t-shirt designed by Jay-Z will benefit 2 organization established by Ashe: USTA National Junir Tennis and Learning Center, and Arthur Ashe Endowment for the Defeat of AIDS. The t-shirt is a licensed US Open merchandise and will be available only for a limited time at US Open, the US Open online store and ArthurAshe.org.