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1935 The Midwestern Tennis Association Tournament featured alternate matches in Wilberforce, Ohio and at the Cedar Y courts in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland matches were hosted by the Forest City Tennis Club. FCTC team club captain, Charles Frye, led the FCTC players in competition at both Wilberforce and Cleveland. Competing for FCTC were Hank Graham, Dr. Quinn Montgomery, Ollie Dawson, Sherman Mitchell, Festus Fitzhugh and Bill Jackson. The Cleveland matches at the Cedar Y courts drew about 1,000 spectators.

Elsewhere in African American History -The NAACP issues statements charging President Roosevelt with not supporting civil rights legislation. A survey of elementary and secondary schools in 10 southern states shows that an average of $17.04 is spent on each black student and $49.30 on each white student. Chemist Perry Julian develops physostigmine, a drug for the treatment of glaucoma; Joe Louis defeats Primo Carnera at Yankee Stadium and launches his boxing career.

1937 FCTC announces four matches for the coming tennis season. FCTC will meet teams in competition from Buffalo, Wilberforce and Detroit. The FCTC team roster will include Hank Graham, Dr. Quinn Montgomery, Ollie Dawson, Sherman Mitchell, Talmadge Long, John Wilkes, Richard Lee, Dewey Trigg and Andy Wiggins.

Detroit, Michigan: Wins for FCTC: Hank Graham won over Detroit’s ranking player, 9-7, 6-8, 6-4; Dr. Quinn Montgomery beat his opponent, 6-1, 6-4; John Wilkes won his match, 6-4, 7-5. The eight-match series resulted in a tie between Detroit and Cleveland.

Wilberforce, Ohio: In the second match of the Midwestern Tournament, competing FCTC players were Dr. Quinn Montgomery, Hank Graham, Jean Murrell Strode and Atty. Chester Gillespie.

At the same time in African American History – The NAACP successfully pressures the Boy Scouts of America to allow African American scouts to join the national Scout Jamboree in Washington, D.C.; Zora Neale Hurston publishes her novel, “Their Eyes Were Watching God”; Approximately 80 African Americans join voluntary American Forces fighting on the Republican side of the Spanish War (The Lincoln Brigade); Joe Louis becomes heavyweight boxing champion of the world.

1946 Dewey Trigg, President of FCTC, announces the formation of the Tri-City Tennis Association among Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago. Plans have been completed for a yearly tournament to be held in each of the three cities.

Elsewhere in African American History – President Truman creates the Presidential Committee on Civil Rights to study federal policies and procedures impacting civil rights. Only 1 of 776 generals in the U.S. Army is an African American, only 7 of 5,200 colonels are African Americans and only 818 of 22,672 second lieutenants are African Americans. Jazz singer Sarah Vaughn wins Downbeat Magazine’s Female Vocalist of the Year Award. She will win this award every year through 1952. Joe Louis successfully defends his world heavyweight boxing championship for the 23rd time.