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History
Today, African American’s presence dominates professional sports like basketball, football and baseball. Unfortunately, this was not always the case segregation denied the equal opportunity of African Americans to play professional sports, Today African American's don't only play on professional teams but now own and coach professional teams. The sporting world has come along way since the days of segregation and this is a timeline of how that path was paved -
Boxer Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson was the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion. His reign took place during the heart of segregation of African Americans. He fought not only black opponents but white opponents as well. A lot of racial tension rose due to his success in the ring. He was selected into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954. -
The Harlem Globetrotters
Biography of the Harlem Globetrotters The Harlem Globetrotters is an all African American exhibition basketball team that started in the late 1920's. They formed a team since African Americans were not allowed to join professional teams. In 1948 the Harlem Globetrotters beat the professional team, the Minneapolis Lakers. This showed that an all black team was on par with an all white team and eventually led to the integration of African Americans to the NBA. -
Tennis Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson was born in Silver, South Carolina. In 1958, she became the first African American women to have won the Grand Slam title. She is also the first African American women to have joined the LPGA tour. She is regarded as the “Jackie Robinson of tennis” for breaking the racial barrier in tennis. She was selected into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971. -
Coach Bill Russell
Bill Russell was born February 12, 1934 (same birthday as me) in Louisiana. He was not only a great NBA player but was also the first African American coach of an NBA team and first to win an NBA Championship. In 2010, he was awarded the Presidential Award of Freedom. -
Olympics 1936
Berlin, Olympics A brief history of 18 African Americans participating in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. This was at the height of Nazi reign. This showed the struggles of African Americans not only in America to play sports but around the world. This put racism on a national level for African American’s in sports. -
Football Kenny Washington
Kenny Washington played in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams. In the year 1933, the NFL was completely segregated and it was not until 1947 that the Los Angeles Rams broke that barrier and selected Kenny as the first African American football player. -
Baseball Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson played baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was the first African American to play for a major league baseball team in the modern era. He broke a sixty year stint of African Americans playing baseball on a professional team. He was respected by both blacks and whites although at times were faced with animosity. His first year playing he won Rookie of the Year and was eventually selected in to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. -
Hockey Willie O’Ree
Willie O’Ree was the first African American to play in the NHL. He started his career in 1958 playing for the Boston Bruins and ended it in 1961. Until 1974 there was no black hockey player selected to play in the NHL. Although, in some sports the presence of African Americans dominates the sport, hockey is not one of them with only 14 members in the entire league. -
Golfer Tiger Woods
Although, Tiger Woods is not the first African American golfer he is recognized as one of the best in the world. He is the youngest and first African American to win the prestige’s Master Championship. He has influenced all races to pick up a club and give the game a chance, even though it is predominantly a white man’s sport. He has broken that barrier by winning tournament and being ranked at one point number one in the world. Although, he is not considered number one in the world today he i -
Interview Jon Entine
Interview with Jon Entine
Jon Entine discussing why African American's are dominating the sporting world. -
Referee Burl Toler
Burl Toler, died at the age of 81. He was the first African American professional sports referee. He started refereeing in 1956 for the NFL. He was also the first African American official for the Super Bowl in 1980. He showed that there were other sports professions African Americans can be apart of besides for playing the game. -
The Charlotte Bobcats
Michael Jordan is recognized as the greatest professional basketball player in history. However, he is now the first African American majority owner of a sport franchise team, the Charlotte Bobcats. The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional baseball team that started its franchise in 2004. Michael Jordan’s success as a NBA star and businessman shows just how far African American’s have succeeded in sports and business -
Black History in Sports
History of African Americans in Sports A verbal description of some of the athletes mentioned along this timeline. -
African American Athletes Tribute
