Perception, Identity and Social Construction of African Americans in Sports : Perception, Identity and Social Construction of African Americans in Sports Jenny Story
Karlee Mushie
Sarah Hughes
Steve McCart
The Beginning : The Beginning Jackie Robinson
Segregated Baseball Leagues
Speaking out about Racism
Theoretical Perspective : Theoretical Perspective Karl Marx
Class Struggles
Exploitation
Class Consciousness
(Lemert, 2004. Social Theory: The Multicultural and Classic Readings)
“I Never Had It Made” : “I Never Had It Made”
Jackie Robinson’s Inspiration to other Black Athletes
Georges Laraque - The Story
Hockey Gear : Hockey Gear 200$ 80$ 140$ 80$ 120$ 250$
Baseball : Baseball
Color Barriers : Color Barriers 1958 1947 Willie O’Ree Willie Mayes
Black Hockey Players : Black Hockey Players
Why? : Why? In 1950, 95% of the NHL were Canadian. Only .02% of all Canadians were Black, today it has increased to roughly 2%.
Today, NHL players are 60% Canadian and 15% American.
Some Stats… : Some Stats… NFL is 67% Black
NBA is 78% Black 1 Million students play high school football…6% go on to play in the NCAA and only 2% of that goes Pro
Slide12 : Social Construction - an attitude, belief or system generally created by a dominant group in a particular culture.
Dates back to slavery
E.x. inherently inferior, unintelligent and violent.
Remain entrenched in our culture.
Influence the world we live in today. The Social Construction of African Americans
The Social Construction of Black Athletes : The Social Construction of Black Athletes Racial stereotypes play a significant role
within the athletic world
E.x. hypersexual, violent and unintelligent
Affects Blacks’ athletic participation;
involvement and positions
Genetic advantage to succeed in particular sports
E.x. White Man’s disease – Basketball
Athletic success is based on their race rather than
their athletic dedication, sacrifice, and training.
Participation in Sport : Participation in Sport Racially appropriate sports
Hidden curriculum
Reinforce racial stereotypes
Encouraged to participate in particular
athletic activities based on racial ideas
Manipulates children’s and athletes’
judgment and self-esteem
Positions & involvement in Sport : Positions & involvement in Sport Although, African American men have been very successful in certain sport; they are rarely found in positions of power and control
(e.x. coaches and owners)
Influenced by racial stereotypes
Controlled by White men
Racial Hierarchies
Inferior positions reaffirms commonly held racial stereotypes and perpetuates racial inequality
Some Important Social Implications : Some Important Social Implications Color Blind Culture
“Assumes that discrimination is a thing of the past and the playing field has been leveled: therefore, if anyone is not successful, it is a result of his or her own poor choices” (Ferber, p.14, 2007)
Greatest representation of successful Blacks occurs in either the Sports of Music industry.
The Impression that racism is no longer a problem
Admiration and glorification of Black athletes confines the goals young African Americans/Canadians create for themselves
THE BLACK BODY : THE BLACK BODY
TOPICS COVERED : TOPICS COVERED Depictions of African Men and Women
The amalgamation of sport and hip hop and the presence of this culture shift in present day
The Black body commodified
Ideologies of beauty – Black vs. White
STEREOTYPES : STEREOTYPES “The stereotype of Black men as sexual predators, especially as threats to White women, is central to the good-bad dichotomy. This historical narrative informed perceptions of the O.J. Simpson trial …The darkening of Simpson’s face on the cover of a popular magazine reinforced the correlation between blackness and danger” (Feber, 2007).
“Black sexuality is constructed as threatening, dangerous, and in need of control … Bare Black bodies are used to cement notions of Black sexuality as raw, untamed, straight out of the jungle”(Nayak,1997).
THE FAB FIVE : THE FAB FIVE
THE MEDIA : THE MEDIA
THE FEMALE BODY: BLACK VS. WHITE : THE FEMALE BODY: BLACK VS. WHITE “As a system of complex institutional and patriarchal relationships between females and males, gender plays a significant role in the experiences, available opportunities, role expectation, and achievements of both females and males; this is not because of biological or physical differences, but because of the meaning attributed to these differences. Such as the performance of gender – specifically the performance of the socially, racially and culturally constructed categories of femininity and masculinity…”(James, 2005)
What Needs to Be Done : What Needs to Be Done
Power Sharing
Education
Active Parenting
References: : References: Cooley, C. H. (1902). Human Nature and the Social Order. New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons. pp. 179-185.
Ferber, A. (2007). The Construction of Black Masculinity: White Superiority Now and Then. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 11-24.
Hanis-Martin, J. (2006). Embodying contradictions: The case of professional women’s basketball. Journal of Sport & Social Issues, 30(3), 265-288.
Harrison, D. (2006). CBC Sports Online Smoke and Mirrors? Retrieved on March 18,
2007, from, http://www.cbc.ca/sports/columns/newsmakers/williams_ricky.html
Harrison, L., Azzarito, L. & Burden, J. (2004). Perceptions of Athletic Superiority: A View from the Other Side. Race, Ethnicity and Education, Vol. 7, No. 2,
pp.149166.
Slide25 : James, C. (2005). Race in play: Understanding the socio-cultural worlds of student athletes. Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press Inc.
Kelly, J. (2004). Borrowed Identities. New York: Peter Lang.
King, R., Leonard, D., & Kusz, K. (2007). White power and sport: An introduction. Journal of Sport & Social Issues, 31(1), 3-10.
McElrath, J. (2007). Jackie Robinson. Retrieved on March 18, 2007, from,
http://afroamhistory.about.com/od/jackierobinson/p/bio_robinson_j.htm
Nayak, A. (1997). Frozen bodies: Disclosing Whiteness in Häagen-Dazs advertising. Body & Society, 3(3), 51-71.
Page, H. (1997). “Black Male” Imagery and Media Containment of African American Men. American Anthropologist, Vol. 99, No. 1, pp. 99-111.
Rees, R. (1996). Race and Sport In Global Perspective: Lessons from Post-Apartheid South Africa. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 22-32.
Sage, G. (1997). Power and Ideology in American Sport: A Critical Perspective. Champaign: Publisher. Human Kinetics Books.
Sefa Dei, G.F. (1996). Theory Antiracism education. Halifax: Fernwood publishing.
Schwartz, L. (2007). Jackie changed face of sports. Retreived on March 18, 2007, from,
http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016431.html
Spence, C.M. (2007). The Skin I’m in: Racism, Sports and Education. Halifax. Fernwood Publishing