122. Information Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs (Richardson) to Secretary of State Rogers1

SUBJECT

  • African Tour of U.S. Tennis Stars Arthur Ashe and Stanley Smith, October 20–November 6, 1970—INFORMATION MEMORANDUM

A few days after you received Arthur Ashe in your office in October—a fact widely reported in African media—Ashe and Smith began a six-country, Department-sponsored African tour. The press in each country attributed the tour to your initiation and desire for strengthening relations.

In 18 days of daily tennis exhibitions and coaching clinics with young African high school and university students, the tour of Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana produced the following results:

Africans of all age groups were delighted with the personalities and professional skills of Ashe and Smith. One Nigerian summed it up like this: “Their presence enhanced American prestige in a human way quite different from your Moonrock space escapades and other technical achievements.”

Ashe and Smith were special guests of President Kenyatta at a garden reception at State House and their tennis exhibition in Nairobi was an official event in the nation-wide celebration of Kenyatta Day;2

They met for 45 minutes with the Head of State of Nigeria, General Gowon, at his residence;

[Page 304]

They played tennis with the son of Prime Minister Kaunda of Zambia,3 a few days after the emotional African media play of Prime Minister Kaunda’s last visit to the United States.4

In all, some 12,000 persons, including Cabinet ministers, university teachers and students, watched the tennis exhibitions. Another 3,000 students were given personal coaching. Television interviews with Ashe and Smith reached mass audiences. There was daily, favorable press coverage in each country.

While the natural, harmonious partnership of the white and black American teammates received favorable attention everywhere, African pride in the successful young American Negro Ashe was the predominant reaction. The Kenya press called him “The first male Negro to make the big time in a stronghold of white players,” a recurrent theme. Similarly, there was highly favorable reaction everywhere to Ashe’s statements on apartheid in South Africa. As a result, our Embassies report meaningful local effects and increased rapport between Embassies and local groups.

In Ghana, trophy cups named for Ashe and Smith have been placed in permanent competition, to be awarded annually to local champions.

All Embassies connected with the tour have reflected the following evaluation from Embassy Nigeria: “Few cultural exchange programs here in recent years can match the success of the Ashe-Smith visit in meaningful impact. If, as it appears, good sportsmanship is an effective means of communication, we would like to go on record in support of visits of more athletes of this caliber in the cultural exchange program to Africa.”

[Page 305]

Two U.S. journalists accompanied the tour, Bud Collins of The Boston Globe and Frank Deford of Sports Illustrated magazine. Collins, writing in the Globe of October 31, said Tanzanians were “not impressed” by an earlier goodwill visit by U.S. astronauts or by a recent U.S. musical production travelling privately. With Ashe and Smith, Collins reported, “nothing came from the audiences but friendliness. As athletes they seemed to be less suspect and more acceptable even though USA is clearly lettered on their jerseys. Perhaps it is because they have something desirable to offer,” said Collins.

Deford’s article in Sports Illustrated is scheduled for publication in February.5 In a recent telephone call to the Department, Deford volunteered that “The American taxpayer certainly got his money’s worth and my article will reflect that.” The entire project cost $12,000, including travel.

JET magazine of December 17 published an article entitled “Tennis Star Arthur Ashe Hailed in Africa,” based on material from us.

USIA is producing a color film of the tour for follow-up use by African posts.

Major credit for the tour’s success goes to our Embassies and USIA posts who were responsible for effectively programming the players.

One of the best photographs of the tour was published in the Sunday Post of Nairobi, showing Ashe instructing a young African student. It is attached with two other photographs.6 We are enlarging the glossy print of this one picture for autographing by you as a momento for Ashe. The other two pictures attached illustrate Smith at a clinic and Ashe with General Gowon of Nigeria.

  1. Source: National Archives, RG 306, Office of Policy and Plans, IOP/C Cultural Subject Files, 1955–1971, Entry UD–90, Box 1, CUL 1 GENERAL. No classification marking. Sent through S/S. Printed from an uninitialed copy. Drafted by Lewis on December 18. Copies were sent to Irwin, U. Alexis Johnson, Samuels, and Pedersen. Bunce sent a copy of the memorandum to White under a December 23 memorandum, indicating that Richardson’s memorandum “will be of interest.” (Ibid.)
  2. October 20.
  3. The Washington Post reported that upon his arrival in Lusaka, Ashe, banned earlier from playing in the South African Open, said that he had no interest in playing in South Africa: “Asked if he would give up tennis to oppose apartheid, he said, ‘Yes. The liberation of black people is more important.’” (“Ashe Claims No Interest in S. Africa,” October 27, 1970, p. D3) Earlier, in 1969, Ashe applied for a visa to visit South Africa. For additional information, see Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. XXVIII, Southern Africa, Documents 12, 1821.
  4. Kaunda, representing the members of the OAU and the governments represented at the Lukasa conference, was scheduled to meet with Nixon on October 20 to discuss views concerning the situation in South Africa. While in Rome, prior to departing for New York, Kaunda received a telephone call asking him to change the appointment to 9:30 a.m. the morning of October 19, an hour before he was scheduled to address the UN General Assembly. At an October 19 gathering of African and Asian delegates to the United Nations, Kaunda stated that he “had been snubbed by the White House.” (“Zambian Chief Accuses White House of Snub,” New York Times, October 20, 1970, p. 20) Rogers proposed that he could meet with Kaunda, who indicated that “his schedule was fixed.” (Murrey Marder, “Rogers Fails to Soothe Zambia Chief,” Washington Post, October 21, 1970, p. 6) See also Robert H. Estabrook, “Zambian President Complains at U.N.: Nixon Snubbed Him,” Washington Post, October 20, 1970, p. A10 and “Priority for Politics,” New York Times, October 21, 1970, p. 46.
  5. “The Once and Future Diplomat,” Sports Illustrated, March 1, 1971, pp. 63–75.
  6. Not found attached.