Vernon Morgan

Vernon Morgan (1926-2019) passed away peacefully in Columbia, MD at his family's home. Son of Frieda and Vernal Morgan, he was a born-and-raised, life-long New Yorker spending the majority of his life in Manhattan. Before attending The City College of New York and graduating with a B.S. (Chemistry) from Tennessee State University, Vernon served his country during the latter stages of WWII and was honorably discharged from the United States Navy. Vernon's life-long passion and greatest talent lied within tennis. He was legitimately a master and was among the very first African-American players to break down racial barriers within the sport. Vernon was certainly among the foundational legends of the ATA and one of the first black players to play USTA-sanctioned tournaments, join the ATP, enter the US Open and later become a USPTA certified instructor. And, with all that, he gave back to tennis-spending over 50 years as an instructor/coach-finally retiring at age 86. Vernon leaves behind a loving wife, two children, a god-child, two grand-children and two god-grand-children.