Beyond Sport Recommends: Black History Month Special
February 18, 2022
In celebration of Black History Month (BHM) in the US, this week, we’re sharing some recommendations on podcasts, movies and books to help educate and inspire on issues of racial inequality and social justice.
The 2021 Netflix limited drama series from notable filmmaker Ava DuVernay and athlete Colin Kaepernick explores the former NFL player's formative years navigating race, class and culture on the path to becoming one of the most influential activists of our time. As described by Entertainment Weekly critic Kristen Baldwin, it is "...an ultimately edifying portrayal of the young athlete's coming of age as a biracial boy growing up in a predominantly white world."
Recently, Academy Award winning filmmaker, Spike Lee, announced a new docuseries with Kaepernick about his life and social justice efforts. The documentary will give a first-person account of Kaepernick’s journey from a young football player to playing with the San Francisco 49ers, and to his release from the league after he took a knee in protest of racial injustice and police brutality. The title and release date are to be announced.
This podcast from historians and leading scholars on sports and race, Louis Moore and Derrick White, takes a deep dive into 'the history of the Black athlete in a contemporary world'. Touching on range of subjects such as diversity hiring, athlete activism and the criminalization of the Black athletic body, this podcast takes a look at current sports in the context of Black History, giving a holistic and contemporary view to key issues and sports today. Definitely worth a listen.
Moore is a Professor of History at Grand Valley State University in the US, teaching African American History, Civil Rights, Sports History and US History. He is the author of I Fight for a Living: Boxing and the Battle for Black Manhood, and We Will Win the Day: The Civil Rights Movement, The Black Athlete, and the Quest for Equality. White is a professor at Florida Atlantic University in the US and is a scholar of Black history with an emphasis on intellectual, political, and sports history. He wrote The Challenge of Blackness: The Institute of the Black World and Political Activism in the 1970s, and Blood, Sweat, and Tears: Jake Gaither, Florida A&M, and the History of Black College Football.
Proud: My Fight for an Unlikely American Dream
The first female Muslim American to medal at the Olympic Games, Ibtihaj Muhammad, grew up in New Jersey as the only African American Muslim in her school. When she discovered fencing, a sport traditionally reserved for the wealthy, she defied expectations to make a place for herself in a sport she grew to love. "As the only woman of color and the only religious minority on Team USA’s saber fencing squad, Muhammad had to chart her own path to success and Olympic glory." This 2018 autobiography takes us through Muhammad's victories and challenges.
Named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People, Muhammad's journey was marked by hateful opposition and near-debilitating bigotry from teammates at Duke University and Team USA, including death threats and social hardships. An inspiring read on resilience and hard work, the book gives a personal and unique view of the American Dream from an athlete turned activist.
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings
This comedic film adaptation of William Brashler’s 1973 novel follows baseball's historic Negro National League and the players who dreamed of playing in the majors. In it, a team of renegade players looks to score big during the heyday of league. Touching on issues of racism, segregation and discrimination in early twentieth century America, it's a great watch. According to USA TODAY Sports in 2020, 7.8% of players in the MLB are Black, compared to the 1970s where Black baseball players made up about 20% of MLB.
Established in 1920, The Negro National League remained wildly popular through the 1930s and early 1940s, with an estimated three million fans coming to ballparks during the ’42 season. The league dissipated in 1944 when Negro Leagues star Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and made his historic debut for the MLB's Brooklyn Dodgers (now the LA Dodgers) three years later. Although the league was born in segregation, it championed Black athletes and sport. Often run by black promoters and managers as will, it was something the Black community owned and were proud of. Today, the league celebrates the Negro National League during Black History Month.
Jemele Hill - The Unbothered Network
The ‘Unbothered’ podcast from award-winning American sports journalist and culture critic Hill - who writes for The Atlantic and co-hosts Vice's Cari & Jemele (Won't) Stick to Sports - features in-depth, thought-provoking conversations with notable figures across entertainment, culture, music and politics. It touches on everything from sports to ‘what not to do’ during Black History Month, to gender equality and black female representation.
Last year, she expanded her Jemele Hill is Unbothered podcast to form her own podcast network and production company, which aims to elevate the voices and stories of Black women. The network is not only centred around Black women but is also run by Black women and features lives of Black women that haven’t been fully explored, dismissed or overlooked. Give this platform a look and listen!