History Today: When Anne Frank went into hiding and wrote 'Diary of a Young Girl'

‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ explores the life of 13-year-old Anne Frank, who went into hiding after the Germans began hunting Jews in the Netherlands. It was on July 6, 1942, that the Frank family went into hiding to escape persecution during World War II.

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On this day in 1957, Althea Gibson became the first African American woman to win the Wimbledon singles title. Her victory at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club was a monumental achievement, breaking racial barriers in a sport that had long been largely segregated.

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Here is all that happened on this day.

Anne Frank went into hiding in Amsterdam

Anne Frank along with her family went into hiding in Amsterdam on July 6, 1942, to escape Nazi persecution of Jews during World War II.  The day before, Anne’s older sister Margot had received a call-up notice from the Nazi authorities, ordering her to report for a so-called “labour camp” in Germany. Fearing deportation, the Franks made the immediate decision to move into their prepared hiding place, the Secret Annexe, earlier than planned.

The Secret Annexe was a concealed space behind a movable bookcase in the building of Anne’s father, Otto Frank’s, business. Along with Anne, her sister Margot, parents Otto and Edith Frank and later, the van Pels family and dentist Fritz Pfeffer, eight people in total lived in cramped quarters under constant threat of discovery.

Anne took with her the red-checkered diary she had received on her 13th birthday just a few weeks earlier. In it, she began documenting her daily experiences, thoughts, fears, and hopes while in hiding. Her diary would go on to become one of the most powerful firsthand accounts of life under Nazi terror.

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The Franks remained hidden in the annexe for two years, relying on the help of loyal non-Jewish friends and colleagues who provided food, news, and support. Tragically, on August 4, 1944, the hiding place was betrayed, and the occupants were arrested by the Gestapo.

Anne died of typhus in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in early 1945. Otto, the only surviving member of the group, later published her diary under the title The Diary of a Young Girl.

First African American woman won Wimbledon

We remember tennis stars like Serena and Venus Williams, who have ruled the court for decades. But, it was Althea Gibson who etched history on this day in 1957 by becoming the first African American woman to win a singles title at Wimbledon, one of tennis’s most prestigious tournaments.

Born in South Carolina in 1927 and raised in New York, Gibson overcame tremendous racial and social barriers. In the 1950s, tennis was largely segregated, with many top tournaments closed to Black players. However, her undeniable talent forced the world to take notice. With the support of tennis allies and civil rights advocates, she broke into elite-level competition, becoming the first Black player to compete at the US Nationals in 1950 and at Wimbledon in 1951.

Her breakthrough year came in 1956 when she became the first African American to win a singles title at the French Championships (now the French Open), where she also secured a doubles title. Her 1957 Wimbledon victory elevated her to global stardom. She was given a ticker-tape parade in New York City and was named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year in 1957 and again in 1958, when she won Wimbledon for the second time.

Althea Gibson paved the way for future generations of African American athletes, including Arthur Ashe, Venus and Serena Williams, and others who have followed in her footsteps. Her courage, excellence, and perseverance shattered long-standing barriers and changed the face of tennis forever.

This Day, That Year

On this day in 1964, Nyasaland broke from British rule and became the independent country of Malawi within the Commonwealth of Nations.
The first full-length all-talking motion picture, Lights of New York, premiered in New York City in 1928.