The Black Athlete Revolt: The Sport Justice Movement in the Age of #BlackLivesMatter by Shaun M Anderson
170 Pages
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Coriolis Company
Release Date: February 8, 2023
Nonfiction, Historical, Sports, Politics, Social Issues, Civil Rights, Black Lives Matter
Colin Kaepernik was not the first player to sit for the National Anthem. The first player was Chris Jackson who later changed his name to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf after converting to Islam. In 1996, he sat for the anthem but after consulting with the league, he agreed to stand but would bow his head to pray. He was traded at the end of the year and within two years he was out of the game completely. Colin’s story is a mirror to Mahmoud. I was shocked and appalled to learn about the African American jockeys after the 1896 Plessy v Ferguson court case. Even though they had ridded in and won races and derbies, this case took away their livelihoods.
Another famous athlete to make a stand was Muhammed Ali. He was eliminated from the draft because of his dyslexia but then the military standards were lowered so he would have to serve. He refused to fight in the Vietnam War. He was stripped of his title belts and boxing licenses. The protests for Black athletes should continue until permanent changes are made. With the current Supreme Court and legislature taking away rights, it looks like it will take a long time to achieve. If you like books about fairness and equality, you will enjoy this book.
