Days of Grace, Arthur Ashe and Arnold Rampersad, One world-Ballantine Books, 1996, $7.99 (softcover)
Arthur Ashe was never known for his outward emotional displays and on several occasions, that tendency caused people to view him as aloof and icy.
In spite of that seemingly cool exterior, Ashe always had a deep desire to help others around him. His views weren’t always readily accepted by other Blacks, but they were always sought out and his sense of fairness was never questioned. A quote from his memoir, “Days of Grace,” recently released in paperback, illustrates his basic understanding of the role he played.
“There are moments when the individual must stand alone. Nevertheless, it is crucial to me that people think of me as honest and principled. In turn, to ensure that they do, I must always act in an honest and principled fashion, no matter the cost.”
Ashe, the only Black male to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, went public in 1992 with the announcement that he had contracted AIDS. It was determined that he had been infected when he received a blood transfusion during his second major heart operation in 1988. In December 1992 he was chosen “Sportsman of the Year” by Sports Illustrated, based on his work in a multitude of humanitarian areas. Two months later, he was dead.
`Biggest Burden’
In “Days of Grace,” Ashe discusses his viewpoints on an assortment of issues that run the gamut from AIDS education to Black political leadership in America.
