Organized sports have played an integral role in Black culture for centuries. The impact of Black athletes across the history of sports is undeniable, but also one that has not always been accomplished on equal footing, having had to overcome the rules of the times they were accomplished in. There is a long tradition of Black athletes engaging in activism. Black players offer an ironic perspective on the athlete-hero, for they represent a group historically held to be without social honor.
Let's delve deeper into the history of African American games and recreation, exploring the challenges and triumphs that have shaped their participation and influence in the world of sports and beyond.
Buck O'Neil Talks About Jackie Robinson Breaking Baseball's Color Barrier | Letterman
Early Forms of Recreation During Slavery
On the large slave plantations, the popular male sports were wrestling, boxing, racing, hunting, and fishing. The most popular recreations for women were dancing and singing. David Wiggins says the masters typically tolerated the slaves' pastimes as long as they were ready to work when called upon. The slave children improvised their games.
Games and recreation provided a vital outlet for enslaved people, offering moments of joy and camaraderie amidst the harsh realities of their lives.
Slaves dancing and playing music
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Racial Stereotypes in Games and Entertainment
There was a time, not so long ago, when we drank Coca-Cola that actually contained cocaine. We smoked everywhere - on airplanes and in the doctor's office. We stored our food in toxic refrigerators and slid down slides that tore our skin. We played (unknowingly) with radioactive toys and decorated the Christmas tree with asbestos decorations.
During the turbulent civil rights years, African Americans remained invisible in the game genre long after they achieved de jure the equality of their rights. White game manufacturers softened their depiction of Blacks. However, the appearance of games containing old stereotypes persisted since antebellum times.
Numerous other companies made and distributed variations of bowling games in which racial aggression and sadism were blatantly obvious. The most primitive period was by far the longest.
Around 1905 J.R. Schneider Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio, introduced "In Dixie Land," a similar game, two years later. Their comical actions are very funny. Black stereotypes which appealed to the American middle-class market featured Black characters exclusively.
Overcoming Barriers in Professional Sports
Black players participated in the National Football League from its inception in 1920; however, there were no African-American players from 1933 to 1946. Some argue that it was purely because of the Great Depression. Jobs were difficult to come by, and thus race relations became increasingly strained as African-Americans, and other minorities, became perceived as "threats". Finally, in 1946, the Los Angeles Rams broke this unofficial "agreement" and drafted Kenny Washington along with Woody Strode in the same year.
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Although Japanese-American Wataru Misaka broke the National Basketball Association's color barrier in the 1947-48 season when he played for the New York Knicks, 1950 is recognized as the year the NBA integrated. Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play a major league game on April 15, 1947. Jackie loved the sport of baseball but that wasn't his only goal to make the majors. He wanted to make a way for more African Americans to join the league. However, with struggles of people being racist in the stands, players spouting off racial slang words to other players or fans, etc.
On November 16, 1926, Native American Taffy Abel joined the New York Rangers, breaking the NHL color barrier and making history as the first ever Native American to play in the National Hockey League since its founding in 1917.
Jackie Robinson
The Colored Hockey League
Though black people are evidently under-represented in the National Hockey League, this is not at all reflective of their involvement in the sport and its development. In 1895-22 years before the establishment of the National Hockey League-the Colored Hockey League took form in Nova Scotia, Canada. This was hockey's first ever organized league, and at its peak contained hundreds of players throughout more than a dozen teams. The season ran from late January to early March as they were only allowed access to the ice rinks when the white-only leagues finished their seasons, leaving the Colored Hockey League with the worst of the ice conditions and subsequently with a much shorter season.
Political and racial tensions forced the league to disintegrate in 1905 as they were no longer allowed to use arenas at all, regardless of the time of year. In 1921, the league re-formed on a smaller scale with just three teams but struggled to gain and keep traction. Despite the many barriers imposed on the Colored Hockey League, they were reportedly just as competitive as the white-only leagues while demonstrating a faster and more aggressive style of play and making revolutionary contributions to the sport. The illustrious slapshot, for example, was invented by Colored Hockey League star Eddie Martin and later popularized by white players in the National Hockey League.
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Golf and the Impact of Tiger Woods
Throughout the game's history, golf has not included many African-American players, and they were often denied the opportunity to golf. The Professional Golf Association of America (PGA) fought hard and successfully maintained its all-white status. Tiger Woods has had a major impact on the game of golf, especially among minorities.
With the ascent of Tiger Woods and his golf game comes an increased interest and participation from young minorities in the game. African American participation in golf has been increasing. As of 2013 there were 25.7 million golfers, with 1.3 million of them being African-Americans.
Racial Disparities in Modern Sports
In the United States, a study found that a form of racial discrimination exists in NBA basketball, as white players received higher salaries than do blacks related to actual performance. Funk says this may be due to viewer discrimination. Viewership increases when there is greater participation by white players, which means higher advertising incomes. Racial differences in the NFL are also evident between player positions.
According to the latest National Consortium for Academics and Sports equality report card, 65% of National Football League players were African Americans. During the 2005-2006 season, black males comprised 46.9 percent of NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and 58.9 percent of NCAA Division I basketball. The NCAA statistics show a strong correlation between percentage of black athletes within a sport and the revenue generated by that sport.
Given NCAA rules prohibiting the payment of players, some have come to see the structure of NCAA athletics as exploitative of college athletes. Some believe that since black athletes comprise a high percentage of athletes in high revenue college sports (FBS football and Division I Men's basketball), they are therefore the biggest losers in this arrangement.
Billy Hawkins argues that "the control over the Black male's body and profiting off its physical expenditure is in the hands of White males." His position refers to a very high percentage of Division I universities controlled by white administrations that prosper greatly from the free labor produced by the revenue sports that are heavily populated by black athletes.
Black athletes in basketball
Activism and Athlete Empowerment
In a 2016 pre-season game against the San Diego Chargers, Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, chose to kneel instead of standing in solidarity with his teammates for the National Anthem. He did this to raise awareness for victims of police brutality and oppression of minorities in America.
Many people believe Kaepernick is a hero for raising awareness for important social issues. However, his actions caused a massive backlash by fans and the media who decried him for acting anti American and disrespecting American troops. Furthermore, players from other teams began to kneel instead of stand with the national anthem. Kaepernick's act inspired many other players to also kneel during the national anthem.
Kaepernick claimed to be blackballed by all 32 teams following being released for his on the field protest in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. In 2019, Hip Hop artist and businessman Jay-Z partnered with the NFL in promoting their social justice efforts. As a supporter Kaepernick's efforts to protest police brutality against the black people of America, Jay-Z became an intermediary between the NFL and the black community. Alongside NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Jay-Z has made efforts to make things right in the relationship between Kaepernick and the NFL by arranging a workout for the former 49ers QB to showcase his talents to all teams in need of a Quarterback.
Celebrating Black Pioneers in Sports
In celebration of Black History Month, we take this opportunity to acknowledge the remarkable achievements of athletes who have transformed both sports and society. Notable figures include Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph, Althea Gibson, Arthur Ashe, and Charlie Sifford. These trailblazers broke down racial barriers and advocated for social justice, leaving a profound impact on sports and the world at large.
Here are some of their accomplishments:
| Athlete | Sport | Achievements |
|---|---|---|
| Jackie Robinson | Baseball | Broke the color barrier in MLB in 1947, Rookie of the Year (1947), National League MVP (1949) |
| Jesse Owens | Track and Field | Won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics |
| Wilma Rudolph | Track and Field | First American woman to win three gold medals at a single Olympics (1960 Rome Olympics) |
| Althea Gibson | Tennis | First African American to win a Grand Slam title (1956 French Championships), won Wimbledon and U.S. Open multiple times |
| Arthur Ashe | Tennis | First African American man to win Wimbledon, U.S. Open, and Australian Open, advocate for civil rights and public health |
| Charlie Sifford | Golf | First African American to earn a PGA Tour card |
Their legacies motivate athletes and advocates for equality today, underscoring the significance of perseverance, activism, and the pursuit of excellence in facing adversity.
