“You want to learn?” the tennis coach asked the scrawny kid watching him serve at one of the few courts open to Black people in Richmond in 1950. The shy 7-year-old said yes – and thanks to his talent and hard work, went on to become one of the greatest tennis players in the sport’s history.

As a humanitarian and civil rights activist, Arthur Ashe became famous off the tennis courts as well – “a tower of powerful integrity, compassion, and commitment to justice,” as the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, or BHMVA, describes him in a new exhibit.

“He stepped beyond tennis to lead by example, to combine athletic prowess with moral leadership,” a placard for “Arthur Ashe: An Enduring Legacy” explains. “His life proves that greatness is not just measured in victories, but in values.”

It is one of several exhibits that make the BHMVA, 122 W. Leigh St. in Richmond, a major attraction in the state capital. AARP Virginia is offering tours of the museum as well as other activities across the commonwealth to celebrate Black History Month. … [My article for AARP]