Even before the desegregation of the military and public education and
before blacks had full legal access to voting, racial barriers had begun
to fall in American sports. This collection of essays shows that for
many African Americans it was the world of athletics that first opened
an avenue to equality and democratic involvement. Race and Sport
showcases African Americans as key figures making football, baseball,
basketball, and boxing internationally popular, though inequalities
still exist today. Among the early notables discussed is Fritz Pollard,
an African American who played professional football before the National
Football League established a controversial color barrier. Another, the
boxer Sugar Ray Robinson, exemplifies the black American athlete as an
international celebrity. African American women also played an important
role in bringing down the barriers, especially in the early development
of women¿s basketball. In baseball, both African American and Hispanic
players faced down obstacles and entered the sports mainstream after
World War II. One essay discusses the international spread of American
imperialism through sport. Another shows how mass media images of
African American athletes continue to shape public perceptions. Although
each of these six essays explores a different facet of sports in
America, together they comprise an analytical examination of African
American society¿s tumultuous struggle for full participation both on
and off the athletic field.