Ashe Beach Park lies along Lake Michigan in Chicago's South Shore community. The Chicago Park District purchased the park site in 1979 with the help of Community Development Block Grant funds, and developed the park during the 1980s through an Illinois Department of Conservation grant. In October 1993, the park district officially designated the park Arthur Ashe Beach and Park in honor of tennis champion Arthur Ashe (1943-1993), who had died earlier that year of complications due to AIDS. The South Shore community believed that the name change would inspire young people who use the park.
At the top of his tennis game, Ashe ranked No. 1 in the world and won three of four Grand Slam tournaments, the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, and the Australian Open. As captain of the Davis Cup team, he recorded 13 wins, leading the U.S. to consecutive victories in 1981 and 1982. Ashe also served as chairman of the Black Tennis and Sports Foundation, a non-profit group devoted to assisting black athletes and sports organizations. In addition, he was active in creating inner-city youth tennis camps in Chicago and elsewhere.