| Description |
xv, 272 pages ; 24 cm |
| Summary |
"The Heritage is the story of sports post-9/11, once neutral but now embedded with deference toward the military and police, colliding with the political reawakening of the black athlete in post-Ferguson America"-- Provided by publisher. |
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Today, sports arenas have been transformed into staging grounds for American patriotism and the hero worship of law enforcement. Teams wear camouflage jerseys to honor those who serve; police officers throw out first pitches; soldiers surprise their families with homecomings at halftime. Sports and politics are decidedly entwined. But as journalist Howard Bryant reveals, this has always been more complicated for black athletes, who from the start, were committing a political act simply by being on the field. In fact, among all black employees in twentieth-century America, perhaps no other group had more outsized influence and power than ballplayers. The immense social responsibilities that came with the role is part of the black athletic heritage. It is a heritage built by the influence of the superstardom and radical politics of Paul Robeson, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Tommie Smith, and John Carlos through the 1960s; undermined by apolitical, corporate-friendly "transcenders of race," O. J. Simpson, Michael Jordan, and Tiger Woods in the following decades; and reclaimed today by the likes of LeBron James, Colin Kaepernick, and Carmelo Anthony. The Heritage is the story of the rise, fall, and fervent return of the athlete-activist. Through deep research and interviews with some of sports' best-known stars--including Kaepernick, David Ortiz, Charles Barkley, and Chris Webber--as well as members of law enforcement and the military, Bryant details the collision of post-9/11 sports in America and the politically engaged post-Ferguson black athlete. |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Subject |
African American athletes -- History.
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African American athletes -- Social conditions.
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Sports -- Political aspects -- United States.
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Sports -- Social aspects -- United States.
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Discrimination in sports -- United States.
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SPORTS & RECREATION -- Sociology of Sports.
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POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Civics & Citizenship.
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SPORTS & RECREATION -- History.
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African American athletes. (OCoLC)fst00799025
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African American athletes -- Social conditions.
(OCoLC)fst00799026
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Discrimination in sports. (OCoLC)fst00895130
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Sports -- Political aspects.
(OCoLC)fst01130493
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Sports -- Social aspects.
(OCoLC)fst01130525
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United States. (OCoLC)fst01204155
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| Genre/Form |
History. (OCoLC)fst01411628
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Nonfiction.
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| Other Form: |
Online version: Bryant, Howard, 1968- Heritage. Boston : Beacon Press, 2018 9780807027004 (DLC) 2018009066 |
| ISBN |
9780807026991 hardcover |
|
0807026999 hardcover |
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