African American Race In Sports

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African American athletes have constantly faced an uphill battle when it comes to race in sports. Whether they like it or not, successful African Americans are the face of change for their peers. Famous athletes have a much bigger platform to express their views than a normal person. They have more money, more recognition, and more opportunities to create change. What’s going on now in the NFL, NBA, and other major sports is the perfect example of black athletes being the most qualified to speak on issues of race. As you may have already know, this past Sunday President Trump decided to tweet about the standing for the national anthem issue. After a series of disrespectful tweets and comments, many black athletes and became outraged and rightfully …show more content…

Many of us regardless of race, try and stick to sports when talking about politics. But this past Sunday, whether we like it or not, we couldn’t avoid talking about sports without bringing up politics and social issues. A majority of black athletes from every NFL team decided to either kneel, lock arms, or said screw it altogether and refused to take part in the national anthem. It’s all because of President Trump and the social divides we have been suffering from the past 100 years. Race and sports around the world have always had an extensive and complex history. Many people agree politics have no place in sports but President Trump crossed that line. Throughout time you can go back and look at a number of examples in American sports where politics and sports have come to a crossroads due to …show more content…

One could argue that successful black athletes experience of being awarded for their athletic prowess with free college educations, celebrity endorsement opportunities, and millions of dollars removes them from the everyday existence of the average black American but I find that to be totally false. With race riots and protests happening all over the country, these athletes are not oblivious to what’s going on, they see the struggle a typical African American person deals with. If anything, all of those opportunities they were given have helped them realize that they can make a difference in this world. Their privileges don’t exempt them from representing their race. Professional athletes are considered role models for many of us. African Americans who struggle with racial and social inequality look up to successful athletes and depend on them for a voice. An average person can’t make as big of an impact as a professional athlete because they lack the resources. Athlete’s like Steph Curry, Michael Jordan, Kolin Kaepernick have a certain type of celebrity that helps spread their message to millions of people. They can make a difference by working within their communities, giving back, and using their voice when

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