Scrapbook Item 9: The Change of the African American Athlete

Link to this article: http://www.thenation.com/article/162383/black-athlete-today

In class on the days of November 10 and 15, 2011, we discussed race and ethnicity with a specific look at African American athletes within sport today. Athletes used to not be as recognized in sport as they are today because the main focus was male, white athletes up until I would say about the 1980-1990s. Even though they are getting recognized more within the media, it is usually not know for the best information being passed to society. There are many athletes that have been recognized such as Muhammad Ali, Michael Vick, Lebron James and the list could continue on and on but these are the athletes recognized because they have participated in big name sports that are always followed. African Americans are trying to change their image around through athletics and being better role models for kids since they are the ones that see them the most while playing a sport.

Coakley talks about the sport participation among African Americans on pages 293 and 294 of the text. Throughout time, blacks were not able to participate in any sport with whites because they believed they were not capable of associating with them at such a respectful level. Fast forward to today and there is mingling between whites and blacks but it is still not represented as well as it should be across the board. Blacks do not receive much attention for their accomplishments within sport as much as white athletes do and it should change. Even though black, male athletes get praised for their high price sports such as basketball and football, but that is still only two sports out of the many that are played in the US today.

I think it is ridiculous how black athletes do not get as much as respect as white athletes do within the United States. There are athletes that do just as well, even better within sports but because of their race, they are looked the other way. We live in the 21st century now and it has changed but not as much as it should be noticed for all of society. If they are able to compete at such a competitive level then they should get the recognition they deserve, no matter what race or ethnicity they are. We do not live in the 1950s anymore and sometimes depending on where a person grew up, I think many US citizens still sometimes forget that. I believe that there should be more views towards black athletes and other races and ethnicity's outside of football and basketball within the media. It will start to continue to grow as it has but people need to support it more or it will die out and nothing will ever get accomplished in the end, which is what needs to not occur during this century.