The Arthur Ashe papers document the wide range of Ashe's political, athletic, business, and philanthropic activities. Although they contain some significant material from the 1960s and 1970s, the papers are concentrated more heavily on Ashe's activities following his retirement from competitive tennis in 1980. The Personal Papers series contains biographical information, and correspondence (with political and cultural leaders such as Andrew Young, Dennis Brutus, and Nikki Giovanni), scrapbooks, and clippings dealing with his controversial trips to South Africa in 1973 and 1974 to play in the South African national championships. The Correspondence series consists of both general correspondence with friends, supporters and business associates, including American tennis champion Stan Smith and British tennis legend and peace activist Henry "Bunny" Austin, concerning his tennis career and political activities, as well as a substantial amount of material relating to his 1992 AIDS announcement. A large portion of the Writings series comprises Ashe's research files and drafts for his historical study of African-American athletes, A Hard Road to Glory, as well as his columns, articles, and speeches. There are also transcripts of interviews with Arnold Rampersad in preparation for his Days of Grace memoir which deal with his early life, views on politics and race, and struggle with AIDS. Among the activities documented in the Projects and Proposed Projects series is Ashe's interest in creating an African-American Sports Hall of Fame and the subsequent debates over a statue to be erected in his honor in Richmond after his death. The Davis Cup Captaincy series reveals the generational changes in the tennis world in the 1980s. Printed Material includes articles and clippings from American and foreign media about Ashe tracing his career as a player and activist, his AIDS announcement, and obituaries and tributes discussing his legacy.
