Content area
Full Text
Studies of racism have brought forth a wealth of evidence to support the existence of racial discrimination in athletics. It is difficult to discuss any area of athletics without noting the variable of race. An illusion that sports are free from racism may be interpreted from current player statistics; however on closer examination racism is evident. Although there is an overrepresentation of African American athletes, the decision-making duties found in such occupations as ownership, leadership, and management positions are still largely occupied by White males. This study examines the perception of racism by 20 former Division I student-athletes on Division I-A campuses. The data are presented in the form of narratives as former student-athletes discuss race and sport and the role that racism played in their athletic careers.
Keywords: African American, student-athletes, racism
Reported cases of racially charged occurrences continue on college campuses. With "Blackface" party incidents and "noose" hangings making news at numerous universities all over the country, African American students at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) may face challenges beyond the academic scope of tests, papers, and projects (Costello, 2010; Strausbaugh, 2006; Teaching Tolerance, 2002; Van Kerckhove, 2007; Wade, 2011). Facing and coping with racism has been identified as a risk factor and an impediment of achievement for African American students at PWIs (Feagin, Hernán, & Imani, 1996).
Graduation rates of college students are the most tangible measures of student outcomes and success. By this measure, African American male college students are considered one of the most at risk students on campus, having the lowest graduation rates of any other demographic group (The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, 2012). Similarly, as a faction of this group, African American male student-athletes' graduation rates are also of concern (Lapchick, 2010). In a recent longitudinal study of 76 universities in major Division I-A athletic conferences, only 50.2% of African American male student-athletes graduated within six years and 55.5% of African American men overall; this is in comparison to 66.9% of all student-athletes, 72.8% of undergraduate students overall (Harper, Williams, & Blackmon, 2013).
Less than 4% of students at Division I universities are African American, while 61% of men's basketball players and 46% of football players are African American (Harper, Williams, & Blackmon, 2013; Lapchick, 2010)....