Conclusion of a 3 part series:
Last week we talked about two athletes whose overall contributions to society assisted the inclusion of Black players in American athletics and in American life in general. PAUL ROBESON and JACKIE ROBINSON have perhaps been the most influential athletes in our history in changing the racial attitudes of Americans.
These are athletes whose exploits, life experiences and athletic achievements contributed not only to the advancement of people of African descent in particular, but also to the United States of America in general. It is important to understand that the positive strides that Black people have made in America have always caused advancement in American society and life in general.
While several others played sports and were great athletes in their own way, such as JESSE JACKSON, BILL COSBY, LEON SULLIVAN, LOUIS FARRAKHAN, KATHERINE DUNHAM and DICK GREGORY, it was JACK JOHNSON, JESSE OWENS, JOE LOUIS, HENRY AARON and MUHAMMAD ALI who were known primarily as athletes and contributed to our freedom, liberation and justice in American society through both their athletic performances and their leadership in general.
Jack Johnson was the first person of African descent to win the world heavyweight championship. His raw courage was what was most troublesome to White patrons. His penchant toward dating and mating with White women definitely didn’t endear him with Caucasian audiences and fight fans.
GIL NOBLE once said, “Most of what Jack Johnson did was condemned by America because of racist attitudes. Much of his persecutions were rooted in the ugly soil of racism. He was the first world symbol of Black athletic achievement.”
Jesse Owens is best known for his upsetting Adolph Hitler by winning four Olympic championships, the sprints and long jump to invalidate Hitler’s notion of “White supremacy.”
Joe Louis beat another German, Max Schmeling, to win the world heavyweight championship and again refute the German’s theory of “White supremacy.”
Henry Aaron, who broke Babe Ruth’s homerun record, said according to Dr. Salley, “Look, I don’t have the vision or the voice of Martin Luther King or James Baldwin or Jesse Jackson or even Jackie Robinson. I’m just an old ballplayer. But I learned a lot as a ballplayer.
“Among other things,” said Aaron, “I learned that if you manage to make a name for yourself — and if you’re Black, believe me, it has to be a big name — then people will start listening to what you have to say. That was why it was so important for me to break the home run record… I had to break that record. I had to do it for Jackie and my people and myself and for everybody who ever called me a nigger.”
Muhammad Ali said, “People say I had a full life, but I ain’t dead yet. I’m just getting started. All of my boxing, all of my running around, all of my publicity was just the start of my life. Now my life is really starting. Fighting injustice, fighting racism, fighting crime, fighting illiteracy, fighting poverty, using this face the world knows so well, and going out and fighting for truth and different causes.”
Although ALTHEA GIBSON, the WILLIAMS sisters, CURT FLOOD and DAVE WINFIELD are not mentioned in Dr. Salley’s list, they are more than worthy of consideration, and I am sure that if we take the time we can find several others like them.
It’s All-Star Classic time!
Get ready for the 18th annual Inner City All-Star Classic, featuring some of the metro areas’ top high school girls’ and boys’ basketball players, on June 19.
Kwame McDonald welcomes reader responses to kmcdonald@gmail.com or by phone at 651-398-5278.