“Race” to the Finish Line
Keyword(s):
The image of the black athlete looms large on the landscape of communications media and cultural outlets. And a certain kind of sports ethos, intimately linked to African American sports figures, permeates mass and popular culture. Questions are raised: How does this importance of sports regarding black people affect race as a dynamic social category? If “race matters” in society, can sports tell us in what way? Does the notion of racial progress apply to the status of African Americans in contemporary sports? How would we measure and define the progress of the black race in sports? Does progress in sports signal advancement in other areas of social life?