Billie Jean King Earns History Degree From CSULA After 65 Years

Tennis legend and social equality icon Billie Jean King received her bachelor's degree in history from California State University, Los Angeles on Monday, completing an academic journey she began 65 years ago. The 82-year-old graduated alongside approximately 6,000 fellow students in the Class of 2026 at the Shrine Auditorium.

King first enrolled at the university, then called Los Angeles State College, in 1961. She left three years later in 1964 to focus on her burgeoning professional tennis career, a decision that led to a historic athletic legacy but left her with a persistent sense of unfinished business. She told the graduating class that returning to complete her degree was deeply important to her. "More than 60 years have passed before I returned to the classroom to complete my degree in history," King said during the commencement ceremony. "Talk about delayed gratification, and I came back with a purpose. I had unfinished business, and it is important to me to finish what I started."

She announced her intention to finish the degree two years ago and returned to classes in the spring of 2025. King noted she is the first member of her immediate family to graduate from...