Press Box: The Black athlete influence won’t ever leave
Illustration by Killian Goodale-Porter.
Kyler Gilliam, Staff Writer
From Air Jordans to the high-five, Black athletes have driven popular culture for decades. The mannerisms, clothes and overall presence of Black athletes are often duplicated but not replicated.
In today’s climate, with politicians and certain media members trying to erase the contributions of Black people as a whole, attacks on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, Black history in schools and dismissal of prominent Black voices, the Black athlete’s cultural impact establishes another stronghold in popular culture that cannot be erased with executive orders.
Growing up, I saw how former NBA player Carmelo Anthony wore his headband and his Jordan player-exclusive colorways on his way to scoring a quick 30 points.
Now, I look at Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson with a twist-out, grills in his mouth, all while stiff-arming defenders to throw the ball to tight end Isaiah Likely, who dons Deion Sanders’ cleats for a clutch touchdown, and I am amazed.
Seeing those guys play true to themselves is a blessing, and the groundwork has been laid by many men and women before them.
I wanted to be like the men and women I saw on my TV screen. Names such as former National Football League hall of fame safety Ed Reed, tennis legend Serena Williams, golfer Tiger Woods and Lakers forward LeBron James are so integral to my childhood.
Seeing Woods and Williams dominate sports — where I didn’t see people who looked like me — gave me the confidence to go out into the world as a Black child with the understanding that if I am good enough, I could never be denied.
The Black experience in this country has always been political ever since the first enslaved African people were brought to Virginia in 1619.
Slavery, Black codes, Jim Crow laws and the constant degradation of my people have made us seem like outsiders in our own country. Nonetheless, we persevere and break the barriers that were set for us.
Major League Baseball legend Jackie Robinson, multi-sport athlete Bobby Marshall, NFL hall of fame scout Bill Nunn and former first baseman Buck O’Neil were cornerstones in breaking down racial lines that were set, in terms of players, coaches and staff. Their contributions and sacrifices allow for the presence of Black athletes, coaches and support staff that influence the product we see today.
The fight still goes on, problems of wealth disparities, police brutality and lack of opportunities still affect our communities to this day.
Black athletes have used their platform to speak on and highlight those issues. Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling during the National Anthem for police brutality and overall injustice in this country resembles former United States track & field athletes John Carlos and Tommie Smith raising their fists during the National Anthem at the Olympics in 1968, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. The message has always needed a platform, and Black athletes can achieve that.
Players in the WNBA actively fight for the justice of people of color, women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, due to many of the athletes falling into multiple intersecting identities. Their calls for action are usually the loudest because they are speaking for the most marginalized, and the Black women who back that movement have made lasting impacts on social justice.
WNBA hall of fame guard Maya Moore used her platform for prison reform and highlighting the injustices within the court system for Black people.
Dallas Wings guard DiJonai Carrington directly called for the other players in the WNBA as well as the league to protect causes for marginalized people, after the first wave of executive orders by President Donald Trump are just a few of the many current and former players fighting for justice in the WNBA.
The influence of Black athletes on our culture cannot be understated. It’s both the big and small things.
It’s Allen Iverson getting his mom to braid his hair on the bench of an NBA game and Doug Williams being the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
It’s me getting my mom to buy my first pair of LeBron’s in fourth grade because it was on the NBA 2K game cover, and then watching James build a school for at-risk youth in his hometown.
It’s seeing little Black girls starting gymnastics because Simone Biles is the greatest of all time, and they want to be just like her.
Black athletes are examples of hope, pride, resilience and power for our community. Their successes should be celebrated, their triumphs remembered and their presence admired. That will never be taken away, no matter how many times white supremacy tries to erase our accomplishments, our perseverance will always be the reason that they fail.
