A265 Sports and the Afro-American Experience
April 2, 2003
African-American Sports and Stereotypes
If television, films, music, or fashion are any guide, schools appear to have conceded the struggle for the hearts and souls of this generation to the world of sports. This is a particularly critical concession for African American adolescent boys, who tend to be rewarded, by schools and society, not for how well they can run with an idea, but how well they can run with a ball. The popularity of African American athletes has reached unprecedented levels. ... Hoberman argues that this obsession has come to play a troubling role in African American life and our countrys race relations. Rich, flamboyant superstars lend credence to age-old prejudices, scientific theories denigrating black intelligence, and stereotypes of black violence. ... He argues that the prominence of African American athletes provides fuel for stereotypes.
Hoberman feels that the reliance of the black athlete “as a politically invaluable role model” is rarely studied, and has become one of the most pervasive views of American thinking about race.
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