Delusions Of Grandeur Summary

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is a professor in the department of African and African American Studies at Harvard University and author of the essay “Delusions of Grandeur.” The statement that the author is trying to convey in this essay is that African American youth need to be educated on the fact that sports is not the only way to become successful in life. Professor Gates states that “too many African American youngsters still believe that they have a much better chance of becoming another Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan...” growing up in a low income, borderline poverty stricken neighborhood, I know first-hand about those dreams and aspirations. Growing up, the only way it seemed to get out of our neighborhood was to either become a rapper, or a sports star because that is all that is shown on television and glorified.

But fortunately for me I found another way out of my neighborhood and because of it I matured, learned to care for myself, be responsible, traveled the world, learned many things including that General Colin Powell was born and raised in the Bronx just as I was.

If only works such as “Delusions of Grandeur” were shown and given to not only African American youth but the youth of all minorities, to open their eyes to the fact that they can become successful in other aspects of life and career fields. They can become doctors, poets, philanthropists, inventors, scientist, educators, astrophysicists, supreme court justices, or even president. So the question that Professor Gates has is why is it that this isn’t happening? The author believes that this is because public schools not only failing to educate athletes as well as the rest of the students. The author states, " One in four middle school students in that city fails to pass to the next grade each year. It is a sad truth that such statistics are repeated in cities throughout the nation. Young athletes—particularly young black athletes-are especially

ill-served. Many of them are functionally illiterate, yet they are passed along from year to year for the greater glory of good old Hometown High.” Professor Gates does implore and pleads to the few and many black athletes that do make it to the professional ranks, to talk about and voice how important it is to get an education, not only for students who plan to be athletes but those that don’t want to as well. This essay we well written and makes a valid point that the youth of minorities need to be shown and taught that there are many other avenues to be successful in life.