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Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete
From Jackie Robinson to Muhammad Ali and Arthur Ashe, African American athletes have been at the center of modern culture, their on-the-field heroics admired and stratospheric earnings envied. But for all their money, fame, and achievement, says former New York Times columnist William C. Rhoden, black athletes still find themselves on the periphery of true power in the multibillion-dollar industry their talent built. Provocative and controversial, Rhoden's Forty Million Dollar Slaves weaves a compelling narrative of black athletes in the United States, from the plantation to their beginnings in nineteenth-century boxing rings and at the first Kentucky Derby to the history-making accomplishments of notable figures such as Jesse Owens, Althea Gibson, and Willie Mays. Rhoden makes the cogent argument that black athletes' "evolution" has merely been a journey from literal plantations to today's figurative ones, in the form of collegiate and professional sports programs. Drawing from his decades as a sportswriter, Rhoden contends that black athletes' exercise of true power is as limited today as when masters forced their slaves to race and fight. Sweeping and meticulously detailed, Forty Million Dollar Slaves is an eye-opening exploration of a metaphor we only thought we knew.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
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August 23, 2020
I really enjoyed this book about Black athletes and the systems of oppression that disempower them even as society continues to “progress.” William Rhoden starts Forty Million Dollar Slaves by describing the history of Black athletes, such as how they were used as capital during slavery and the Jim Crow Era. He connects Black athletes’ treatment in the past to their current predicament of often being owned by white coaches, all while not knowing about their racial history. His use of a conveyor belt as an analogy is apt, such that he describes how the current system of athletics produces Black athletes who may perform well yet are forced to make their Blackness appealing or acceptable to white people. This quote about the conveyor belt captures the sentiment well:
“The Belt is also designed to dull any racial consciousness and eliminate communal instincts. Instead, the Belt cultivates a culture of racial know-nothingism. Indeed, the act of ‘processing’ athletes along the Conveyor Belt involves a significant and often subtle element of ‘deprogramming’ potential troublemakers – black athletes who might be tempted to think of themselves, or their situations, in racial terms and who might want to use their prominence in the service of something other than enriching the institution. In a university, such troublemakers might include athletes who want to use their visibility to call attention to the need for more black head coaches or faculty on campus, or athletes interested in initiating or joining in causes that might embarrass the institution. On the Conveyor Belt, young athletes quickly learn that easy passage through a white-controlled system is contingent upon not ‘rocking the boat,’ not being a ‘troublemaker,’ and making those in positions of power feel comfortable with the athletes’ blackness.”
I appreciated how Rhoden discussed the perils of integrating Black athletics and white athletics and how doing disempowered Black athletes in the long run. He describes Michael Jordan as an example of a Black athlete who minimized his Blackness, while refusing to take a more active stance against anti-Black racism. Rhoden connects the system of anti-Black racism to racial capitalism in compelling ways, entailing how receiving loads of money from the white system may demotivate and prevent Black athletes from engaging in activism that empowers their own communities. One notable takeaway from this book is the importance of knowing your own people’s history in a society that prioritizes the history of white people, or tells the history of BIPOC communities through a white lens.
I had a couple of constructive critiques about this book. As other reviewers have noted, I think a more thorough discussion of Black women would have enhanced the intersectional appeal of the book, as well as a discussion of LGBTQ Black athletes. I also wish some of the suggestions at the end of the book could have focused more on how systems of white ownership could have been dismantled from the top down, instead of only focusing on individual actions that Black athletes themselves could take. Finally, I wanted a bit of a more contemporary analysis, though I recognize this critique is probably unfair given the book’s publication in 2006. The issues presented in this book are definitely timely given the exploitation of Black athletes that permeates contemporary society today.
“The Belt is also designed to dull any racial consciousness and eliminate communal instincts. Instead, the Belt cultivates a culture of racial know-nothingism. Indeed, the act of ‘processing’ athletes along the Conveyor Belt involves a significant and often subtle element of ‘deprogramming’ potential troublemakers – black athletes who might be tempted to think of themselves, or their situations, in racial terms and who might want to use their prominence in the service of something other than enriching the institution. In a university, such troublemakers might include athletes who want to use their visibility to call attention to the need for more black head coaches or faculty on campus, or athletes interested in initiating or joining in causes that might embarrass the institution. On the Conveyor Belt, young athletes quickly learn that easy passage through a white-controlled system is contingent upon not ‘rocking the boat,’ not being a ‘troublemaker,’ and making those in positions of power feel comfortable with the athletes’ blackness.”
I appreciated how Rhoden discussed the perils of integrating Black athletics and white athletics and how doing disempowered Black athletes in the long run. He describes Michael Jordan as an example of a Black athlete who minimized his Blackness, while refusing to take a more active stance against anti-Black racism. Rhoden connects the system of anti-Black racism to racial capitalism in compelling ways, entailing how receiving loads of money from the white system may demotivate and prevent Black athletes from engaging in activism that empowers their own communities. One notable takeaway from this book is the importance of knowing your own people’s history in a society that prioritizes the history of white people, or tells the history of BIPOC communities through a white lens.
I had a couple of constructive critiques about this book. As other reviewers have noted, I think a more thorough discussion of Black women would have enhanced the intersectional appeal of the book, as well as a discussion of LGBTQ Black athletes. I also wish some of the suggestions at the end of the book could have focused more on how systems of white ownership could have been dismantled from the top down, instead of only focusing on individual actions that Black athletes themselves could take. Finally, I wanted a bit of a more contemporary analysis, though I recognize this critique is probably unfair given the book’s publication in 2006. The issues presented in this book are definitely timely given the exploitation of Black athletes that permeates contemporary society today.
August 15, 2016
Reviewed for Kirkus waaaayyy back when: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
August 14, 2016
This is not the book I thought it would be when I picked it out. I was expecting a book about contracts, money, recruiting, and trading. Rhodes touches on all those things, but this book is primarily a history book, drawing distant and not-explicitly-stated parallels between the slave markets at the beginning and the meat markets of college recruiting at the end. The impetus of the book was partially in response to questions like the one put the the author by an elementary school student, “Who was the first white player to integrate the NBA?”
Wow.
This book is also a call to arms of those who already know the history: “how to convert the accumulated wealth and presence in sports into power.” Success in sports has allowed a mirage to form—“the illusion that things are much better for black America than they really are.” Until black athletes recognize their power to make changes in perceptions and outcomes for themselves and the larger Black community, they will continue to be highly-paid slaves.
This book is ten years old already, but because it focuses on history, it is still relevant today. Rhodes starts with the notion of “play” in slave times, how it was an opportunity to relax and express one’s individuality, while white folks idea of sport was horse-racing, boat-racing, and cock-fighting, none of which they necessarily participated in themselves unless with cash. It’s an interesting point. I wonder if it would hold up under scrutiny.
Rhodes also speaks of a fighter in the 19th Century called Molineaux, who needed to travel to Britain to pursue his sport, since whites and blacks were not allowed to fight one another in the U.S.
Much was made of Molineaux in London, and he was painted at least four times by leading artists of the time. Molineaux lost his historic fight with Cribb, a white contender, due to shenanigans by audience challengers which dispirited Molineaux and allowed Cribb to recover long enough to thrash him.
Rhoden explains “the Jockey Syndrome” which was a phenomenon observed when black jockeys were filling every winner’s box throughout the West in the 1800's. They became valuable property for white owners. They were free to ply their trade, excel, and win, but they were still owned. The profession was elevated and black riders were replaced by whites as the purses got larger.
As the parade of sports in which blacks excelled are related, Rhoden points out the integration of sports initially occurred outside the United States: Molineaux in England, Jack Johnson in Australia, Jackie Robinson in Canada. Rhodes also talks about “black style:” Willie Mays had style. Rhodes recounts a 1963 catch in which Mays caught a potentially run-making hit with a basket catch below his belt buckle. His nonchalance and cool dismissal of the batter’s effort was such a putdown that Rhoden never forgot it.
But did this black style, which only accelerated in the years after Mays, ever enhance black power in the industry? Not really, Rhoden tells us. That style was sold, literally, to white corporations. “Call it 'Soul on the Auction Block.’” When Rhoden attended the annual McDonald’s All-America Basketball Game in 1983, featuring the best high school basketball players in the country, he was chagrined to find it a high-pressure meat market.
The part of this narrative I liked best was Rhoden’s focus on female athletes, though that topic clearly deserves its own book. He merely mentions Althea Gibson, but I’d never even heard of Lucy Harris. Admittedly, I am not much of a sports fan, but surely…I’ve heard of everyone else…haven’t I?
There is way more discussion to be had on this subject, considering Rhoden closed up shop just as he was getting to present day. And the book is ten years old. I am sure there are others that address this topic that I have missed. We watch a lot of sports in this country. Seems to me it would be wise to own up to what it really means for athletes, for viewers, for corporations, and for corporate owners.
Wow.
This book is also a call to arms of those who already know the history: “how to convert the accumulated wealth and presence in sports into power.” Success in sports has allowed a mirage to form—“the illusion that things are much better for black America than they really are.” Until black athletes recognize their power to make changes in perceptions and outcomes for themselves and the larger Black community, they will continue to be highly-paid slaves.
This book is ten years old already, but because it focuses on history, it is still relevant today. Rhodes starts with the notion of “play” in slave times, how it was an opportunity to relax and express one’s individuality, while white folks idea of sport was horse-racing, boat-racing, and cock-fighting, none of which they necessarily participated in themselves unless with cash. It’s an interesting point. I wonder if it would hold up under scrutiny.
Rhodes also speaks of a fighter in the 19th Century called Molineaux, who needed to travel to Britain to pursue his sport, since whites and blacks were not allowed to fight one another in the U.S.
Much was made of Molineaux in London, and he was painted at least four times by leading artists of the time. Molineaux lost his historic fight with Cribb, a white contender, due to shenanigans by audience challengers which dispirited Molineaux and allowed Cribb to recover long enough to thrash him.
Rhoden explains “the Jockey Syndrome” which was a phenomenon observed when black jockeys were filling every winner’s box throughout the West in the 1800's. They became valuable property for white owners. They were free to ply their trade, excel, and win, but they were still owned. The profession was elevated and black riders were replaced by whites as the purses got larger.
As the parade of sports in which blacks excelled are related, Rhoden points out the integration of sports initially occurred outside the United States: Molineaux in England, Jack Johnson in Australia, Jackie Robinson in Canada. Rhodes also talks about “black style:” Willie Mays had style. Rhodes recounts a 1963 catch in which Mays caught a potentially run-making hit with a basket catch below his belt buckle. His nonchalance and cool dismissal of the batter’s effort was such a putdown that Rhoden never forgot it.
But did this black style, which only accelerated in the years after Mays, ever enhance black power in the industry? Not really, Rhoden tells us. That style was sold, literally, to white corporations. “Call it 'Soul on the Auction Block.’” When Rhoden attended the annual McDonald’s All-America Basketball Game in 1983, featuring the best high school basketball players in the country, he was chagrined to find it a high-pressure meat market.
"The sports industry is not just a signature aspect of the American way of life, but has also become a major component of the American economy. What distinguishes sports from other industries is the nature of the raw materialL For the past fifty years, the prime raw resource in the sports industry has been black muscle."You see the parallels.
The part of this narrative I liked best was Rhoden’s focus on female athletes, though that topic clearly deserves its own book. He merely mentions Althea Gibson, but I’d never even heard of Lucy Harris. Admittedly, I am not much of a sports fan, but surely…I’ve heard of everyone else…haven’t I?
There is way more discussion to be had on this subject, considering Rhoden closed up shop just as he was getting to present day. And the book is ten years old. I am sure there are others that address this topic that I have missed. We watch a lot of sports in this country. Seems to me it would be wise to own up to what it really means for athletes, for viewers, for corporations, and for corporate owners.
December 3, 2014
Very eye opening. Though the first two chapters lagged a bit, it immediately became interesting when the book delved into the Jockey Syndrome, and how the decimation of the Negro baseball leagues became a symbol of the negative effects of integration. "The Conveyor Belt" chapter (driving wedges between inner city kids and their families/communities for higher profits) is especially important for Black parents.
I would've given it five stars if more time had been spent on Black female athletes. Instead of dedicating the smallest chapter in the book to women, it would have been a great idea to integrate us fully throughout the entire book.
Nevertheless, there is a lot of great information in this one.
I would've given it five stars if more time had been spent on Black female athletes. Instead of dedicating the smallest chapter in the book to women, it would have been a great idea to integrate us fully throughout the entire book.
Nevertheless, there is a lot of great information in this one.
Read
September 7, 2007This book is a must read especially for those among us who claim that these Million Dollar athletes should do more in the community. While that is a valid conversation, those same people who say this, never take the time to understand the centuries old games and institutions that are at work here. Also, why isn't this book on the New York Times Best Seller List, while Tyler Perry's "Don't Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea's Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life " is? Just one of those things that Arsenio used to tell us made you say HMMMMMMMM!!!!!!
Although, for the record, I'm not saying HMMMMMMM, since I bought the book and am reading it.
If you don't attempt to be part of the solution to the problem, then you become part of the problem.
jamal - out!!!!
EUR BOOK REVIEW: $40 Million Dollar Slaves
By Kam Williams
Once upon a time, prominent African-American athletes were inclined to leverage their fame as a means of confronting racism. From Paul Robeson to Jackie Robinson to Muhammad Ali to Jim Brown to Arthur Ashe to Olympic medal-winners Tommie Smith and John Carlos, there is an abundant legacy of commitment to the black community.
But judging by todays socially-unenlightened crop of sports icons, one might suspect that rich history of activism and advocating for the underclass to be more fairy tale than fact. For the once-widespread dedication to hard-fought, collective advancement has been all but abandoned by the current generation of superstars, at least according to William C. Rhoden, author of Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete.
The tone of todays ballplayer is perhaps typified by the NBAs Grant Hill who acknowledges that, When you’re making $200,000 every two weeks, its hard to get angry about anything. Rhoden, a sportswriter for The New York Times since 1983, concedes that most pros now make more money in one season than his childhood heroes could accumulate over the course of their entire careers. But he also argues that these financial rewards ought to translate into an even more effective advocacy bloc for African-American advancement.
Yet instead, we have entered the age of the apolitical mega-star, carefully packaged products such as Michael Jordan who Rhoden says went to great lengths to cultivate a non-threatening, ever-neutral public image. The author points out that Jordan was a ferocious competitor of unparalleled drive on the court and in the corporate world but not when it came to confronting racism.
Insights such as this is what makes Forty Million Dollar Slaves a priceless and prophetic discourse on the path of blacks in sports, dividing its time between African-American history and the present-day dilemma where we find individualism, commercialism, materialism and blase attitudes celebrated at the expense of any concern about a black agenda.
Perhaps most significantly, it asks some very meaningful questions about franchise ownership, pointing out that the integration of baseball simultaneously signaled the demise of the black-owned Negro League. For while Brooklyn Dodger owner Branch Rickey has invariably been hailed for having signed Jackie Robinson, here, he is blamed for helping keep black competitors out of the big leagues, rationalizing preserving a white monopoly with There is no Negro League as far as Im concerned.
Overall, Forty Million Dollar Slaves still offers an optimistic message since thousands of black athletes are now blessed with the means to make major statements about the way their industry is run, provided they remember their roots and somehow develop the wherewithal and inclination to get involved. Nonetheless, such a salvation is not guaranteed, since as the Bible states in Proverbs 29: 18: Where there is no vision, the people perish.
Although, for the record, I'm not saying HMMMMMMM, since I bought the book and am reading it.
If you don't attempt to be part of the solution to the problem, then you become part of the problem.
jamal - out!!!!
EUR BOOK REVIEW: $40 Million Dollar Slaves
By Kam Williams
Once upon a time, prominent African-American athletes were inclined to leverage their fame as a means of confronting racism. From Paul Robeson to Jackie Robinson to Muhammad Ali to Jim Brown to Arthur Ashe to Olympic medal-winners Tommie Smith and John Carlos, there is an abundant legacy of commitment to the black community.
But judging by todays socially-unenlightened crop of sports icons, one might suspect that rich history of activism and advocating for the underclass to be more fairy tale than fact. For the once-widespread dedication to hard-fought, collective advancement has been all but abandoned by the current generation of superstars, at least according to William C. Rhoden, author of Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete.
The tone of todays ballplayer is perhaps typified by the NBAs Grant Hill who acknowledges that, When you’re making $200,000 every two weeks, its hard to get angry about anything. Rhoden, a sportswriter for The New York Times since 1983, concedes that most pros now make more money in one season than his childhood heroes could accumulate over the course of their entire careers. But he also argues that these financial rewards ought to translate into an even more effective advocacy bloc for African-American advancement.
Yet instead, we have entered the age of the apolitical mega-star, carefully packaged products such as Michael Jordan who Rhoden says went to great lengths to cultivate a non-threatening, ever-neutral public image. The author points out that Jordan was a ferocious competitor of unparalleled drive on the court and in the corporate world but not when it came to confronting racism.
Insights such as this is what makes Forty Million Dollar Slaves a priceless and prophetic discourse on the path of blacks in sports, dividing its time between African-American history and the present-day dilemma where we find individualism, commercialism, materialism and blase attitudes celebrated at the expense of any concern about a black agenda.
Perhaps most significantly, it asks some very meaningful questions about franchise ownership, pointing out that the integration of baseball simultaneously signaled the demise of the black-owned Negro League. For while Brooklyn Dodger owner Branch Rickey has invariably been hailed for having signed Jackie Robinson, here, he is blamed for helping keep black competitors out of the big leagues, rationalizing preserving a white monopoly with There is no Negro League as far as Im concerned.
Overall, Forty Million Dollar Slaves still offers an optimistic message since thousands of black athletes are now blessed with the means to make major statements about the way their industry is run, provided they remember their roots and somehow develop the wherewithal and inclination to get involved. Nonetheless, such a salvation is not guaranteed, since as the Bible states in Proverbs 29: 18: Where there is no vision, the people perish.
June 3, 2014
Okay, let me get this off my chest first. Only ONE chapter dedicated to the presence/contributions of Black women in sports? Really? Granted, author William C. Rhoden acknowledges his lack but it doesn't excuse it, especially because his historical scholarship of Black male sports figures was so rich and detailed. Damn right, this is not only problematic but a typical narrative when it comes to documenting and acknowledging Black women's lives. We see this erasure in mainstream feminism, and it's there in the oft-forgotten stories of the civil rights movement. So as much as I enjoyed this book, I have to deduct a star for this erasure.
Having said all that, Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete is a book that should be required reading not just for young, Black athletes, but as a historical text to supplement what so often gets left out in the story of Black people in America. I remember the brouhaha when this book arrived like a battering ram on the national consciousness. Predictably, conservatives (mostly white) had public tizzy fits over the book's premise and proceeded to tear down the book and its author, reducing it to mere "race baiting/grievance", trying to make the case that Rhoden was just another "disgruntled black man" in "post-racial America". ESPN fiercely debated some of the conclusions and some seemed rather perturbed that anyone would dare criticize the deity of Michael Jordan.
It took the racial stupidity of Donald Sterling, owner of the L.A. Clippers to return the spotlight upon Rhoden's book and his assertion that the modern black athlete despite their millions, their shoe endorsements and big homes, is still beholden to a system that both exploits and fears their labor. Many people asked head coach Doc Rivers how he could possibly work for a man who harbored such racial animus. And the fact that such racial animus was not unknown. One blogger wrote a scathing post on the cowardice of the black athlete in light of Sterling's disdain for the very African American players who make him even more money, even as Northwestern University athletes are fighting to form a player's union.
I went into Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete with eyes and mind wide open, and was richly rewarded yet sobered. The talking conservative heads obviously didn't read this book for Rhoden doesn't do "race baiting" here. He tells a story. A lot of stories in fact. Stories that fiction authors and filmmakers could craft wonderful tales from, and our youth could learn from. And they're all true. From the story of 18th century boxer Tom Molineaux who went to England and fought the country's greatest champion and won only to have victory snatched from him because of his race (dear historical fiction authors, you can stop whitewashing Regency and Georgian England now, it's okay. Black people were there); to Major Taylor, bicycle-racing champion extraordinaire, feted in Paris only to be blocked at home for having the termerity to not just race against, but be better than the white men he raced against. Isaac Murphy, Charles Stewart and Jimmy Winkfield, the greatest jockeys of the golden age of horseracing until, what Rhoden calls "the Jockey syndrome", fueled by bigotry and fear, edged Black jockeys from competion. Jack Johnson, the epitome of the "big, bad and Black" man who lived life undaunted until the might of the U.S. government was brought to bear on him.
There are stories of triumph, of despair, of resiliency. The great promise of the National Negro Leagues to parlay their talent economic power and autonomy. Then there's my favourite story, learned from my father a huge sports fan and daresay amateur historian about the 1970 USC/Alabama game in which an intergrated USC football team headed by a Black quarterback (remember boys and girls, many people believed--some still do--that Blacks lacked the intellectual capacity/leadership quality for positions like quarterback or running back) spanked the fabled Crimson Tide 42-21...on the Roll Tide's home turf! Not that I'm into college football, but I would have loved to have been at THAT game (I was only four at the time). The story has it that after the trouncing, coach Bear Bryant (still worshiped as a god on the Alabama campus) made the regents and alumni accept the need for Black players on white southern college teams).
Yes, there are stories. Yet there are cautionary tales and an impassioned criticism of the sports "conveyor belt" that churns out young athletes while stripping away everything that may cause "discomfort" for mainstream America. Rhoden dissects and criticizes with love, many of the modern young Black athletes who have no sense of their past, nor seeming interest in it. He notes that for all the material trappings and accolades a Black athlete may attain, any infraction/brushes with the law will quickly snatch him right back into place (Michael Vick anyone), reminding them that race STILL matters. He writes of segregation as both an ugly stain and as a time where the Black community was forced by law and circumstance to create their own vibrant way of life. Unlike his critics, I didn't read Rhoden romanticizing this period of history, just merely making an observation.
It has been a long time since I read a work of non-fiction as powerful and thought-provoking as Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete. In some ways it leaves me with more questions than answers. Rhoden doesn't offer easy answers. Whatever critiques he offers are nuanced by historical precedent and an understanding of the circumstances many young Black athletes are born into. What is apparent is that as long as Blacks are kept out of positions of ownership and management, as long as proven Black coaches are continually passed up in favor of recycled "old boy" coaches, the metaphor of the 40 million-dollar plantation will continue.
Having said all that, Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete is a book that should be required reading not just for young, Black athletes, but as a historical text to supplement what so often gets left out in the story of Black people in America. I remember the brouhaha when this book arrived like a battering ram on the national consciousness. Predictably, conservatives (mostly white) had public tizzy fits over the book's premise and proceeded to tear down the book and its author, reducing it to mere "race baiting/grievance", trying to make the case that Rhoden was just another "disgruntled black man" in "post-racial America". ESPN fiercely debated some of the conclusions and some seemed rather perturbed that anyone would dare criticize the deity of Michael Jordan.
It took the racial stupidity of Donald Sterling, owner of the L.A. Clippers to return the spotlight upon Rhoden's book and his assertion that the modern black athlete despite their millions, their shoe endorsements and big homes, is still beholden to a system that both exploits and fears their labor. Many people asked head coach Doc Rivers how he could possibly work for a man who harbored such racial animus. And the fact that such racial animus was not unknown. One blogger wrote a scathing post on the cowardice of the black athlete in light of Sterling's disdain for the very African American players who make him even more money, even as Northwestern University athletes are fighting to form a player's union.
I went into Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete with eyes and mind wide open, and was richly rewarded yet sobered. The talking conservative heads obviously didn't read this book for Rhoden doesn't do "race baiting" here. He tells a story. A lot of stories in fact. Stories that fiction authors and filmmakers could craft wonderful tales from, and our youth could learn from. And they're all true. From the story of 18th century boxer Tom Molineaux who went to England and fought the country's greatest champion and won only to have victory snatched from him because of his race (dear historical fiction authors, you can stop whitewashing Regency and Georgian England now, it's okay. Black people were there); to Major Taylor, bicycle-racing champion extraordinaire, feted in Paris only to be blocked at home for having the termerity to not just race against, but be better than the white men he raced against. Isaac Murphy, Charles Stewart and Jimmy Winkfield, the greatest jockeys of the golden age of horseracing until, what Rhoden calls "the Jockey syndrome", fueled by bigotry and fear, edged Black jockeys from competion. Jack Johnson, the epitome of the "big, bad and Black" man who lived life undaunted until the might of the U.S. government was brought to bear on him.
There are stories of triumph, of despair, of resiliency. The great promise of the National Negro Leagues to parlay their talent economic power and autonomy. Then there's my favourite story, learned from my father a huge sports fan and daresay amateur historian about the 1970 USC/Alabama game in which an intergrated USC football team headed by a Black quarterback (remember boys and girls, many people believed--some still do--that Blacks lacked the intellectual capacity/leadership quality for positions like quarterback or running back) spanked the fabled Crimson Tide 42-21...on the Roll Tide's home turf! Not that I'm into college football, but I would have loved to have been at THAT game (I was only four at the time). The story has it that after the trouncing, coach Bear Bryant (still worshiped as a god on the Alabama campus) made the regents and alumni accept the need for Black players on white southern college teams).
Yes, there are stories. Yet there are cautionary tales and an impassioned criticism of the sports "conveyor belt" that churns out young athletes while stripping away everything that may cause "discomfort" for mainstream America. Rhoden dissects and criticizes with love, many of the modern young Black athletes who have no sense of their past, nor seeming interest in it. He notes that for all the material trappings and accolades a Black athlete may attain, any infraction/brushes with the law will quickly snatch him right back into place (Michael Vick anyone), reminding them that race STILL matters. He writes of segregation as both an ugly stain and as a time where the Black community was forced by law and circumstance to create their own vibrant way of life. Unlike his critics, I didn't read Rhoden romanticizing this period of history, just merely making an observation.
It has been a long time since I read a work of non-fiction as powerful and thought-provoking as Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete. In some ways it leaves me with more questions than answers. Rhoden doesn't offer easy answers. Whatever critiques he offers are nuanced by historical precedent and an understanding of the circumstances many young Black athletes are born into. What is apparent is that as long as Blacks are kept out of positions of ownership and management, as long as proven Black coaches are continually passed up in favor of recycled "old boy" coaches, the metaphor of the 40 million-dollar plantation will continue.
January 3, 2022
Well written and easy to follow. Speaks about the plight and how to improve it for black athletes.
April 23, 2017
I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to write a review befitting this book and came up with nothing. For me, the best way for this book to be reviewed is quotes taken directly from the book.
Forty Million Dollar Slaves is an important read if we want to understand the black athlete.
“In their failure to heed the lessons of history, today’s black athletes are squandering the best opportunities yet for acquiring real power in the sports industry.” P. 2
“Ignorance of the past makes it difficult for black athletes today to united and confront the issues of the present. This contemporary tribe, with access to unprecedented wealth, is lost, precisely because it has failed to complete what New York Sun editor Charles Dana described as the black athlete’s “rise against white supremacy.” On the contrary, African American athletes, blinded by a lack of history of what preceded them, have played a major role in helping maintain an unfair, corrupt, destructive system.” P. 7
“Sports on the plantation were used as diversions to dull the revolutionary instinct.” P. 49
"Integration also stopped a growing momentum toward independence and self-definition within the African American community. Integration in the 1970s stifled a movement within the black community toward empowerment and community building that began as a result of African Americans—including athletes—being forced out of integrated sports society in the 1880s and 1890s."
"In the process of integration, there was also a psychic loss, in that many African American athletes became estranged from the communities that produced." P. 136
"How tough is it to buy an inner-city kid? Buy him some shoes, take him to dinner, and get him some nice clothes, maybe a car. You become his best friend, and he gets hooked like a junkie,” Rudy Washington said. “Then you control the product. The secret is controlling the produce early It’s just like slavery. Modern-day slavery is what it is." P. 178
If these direct quotes haven’t convinced you to read Forty Million Dollar Slaves then nothing will.
Forty Million Dollar Slaves is an important read if we want to understand the black athlete.
“In their failure to heed the lessons of history, today’s black athletes are squandering the best opportunities yet for acquiring real power in the sports industry.” P. 2
“Ignorance of the past makes it difficult for black athletes today to united and confront the issues of the present. This contemporary tribe, with access to unprecedented wealth, is lost, precisely because it has failed to complete what New York Sun editor Charles Dana described as the black athlete’s “rise against white supremacy.” On the contrary, African American athletes, blinded by a lack of history of what preceded them, have played a major role in helping maintain an unfair, corrupt, destructive system.” P. 7
“Sports on the plantation were used as diversions to dull the revolutionary instinct.” P. 49
"Integration also stopped a growing momentum toward independence and self-definition within the African American community. Integration in the 1970s stifled a movement within the black community toward empowerment and community building that began as a result of African Americans—including athletes—being forced out of integrated sports society in the 1880s and 1890s."
"In the process of integration, there was also a psychic loss, in that many African American athletes became estranged from the communities that produced." P. 136
"How tough is it to buy an inner-city kid? Buy him some shoes, take him to dinner, and get him some nice clothes, maybe a car. You become his best friend, and he gets hooked like a junkie,” Rudy Washington said. “Then you control the product. The secret is controlling the produce early It’s just like slavery. Modern-day slavery is what it is." P. 178
If these direct quotes haven’t convinced you to read Forty Million Dollar Slaves then nothing will.
April 21, 2023
Using the premise that integration benefitted white America while destroying black communities, Rhoden applies this to the world of sports and uses the metaphor of sports being a plantation to describe black athletes as “40 million dollar slaves”. Rhoden goes throughout history to highlight how black bodies were used to profit white masters and how racism has continued to control the narrative encouraging athletes to shut up and be thankful.
This book was very educational for me. I hadn’t known many of the names Rhoden mentioned of black athletes, entrepreneurs, and owners who paved the way for others. I’m sure we’re all familiar with the most famous names such as Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, or Michael Jordan but I hadn’t known about Jack Johnson, Isaac Murphy, or Rube Foster. Throughout the book, Rhoden highlights many of these names and talks about their past, their rise, and eventual fall in the racist system of sports.
I also liked that the author didn’t spare anyone in his book despite their fame. He mentions how Jackie Robinson destroyed the negro leagues by leaving to integrate the MLB; he talks about Michael Jordan’s passivity and desire to remain neutral when his clout could have helped bring attention to black issues; and he criticizes Bob Johnson, founder of BET, for chasing money and using his blackness to his benefit to become owner of the NBA team Charlotte Bobcats.
More than just attacking famous names, Rhoden emphasizes the collective power these athletes, owners, and entrepreneurs can have to change the system. It, of course, would take a lot of courage, numbers, and hope but it wouldn’t be entirely impossible to change the plantation mindset of sports. If only, if only…. 4 stars!
This book was very educational for me. I hadn’t known many of the names Rhoden mentioned of black athletes, entrepreneurs, and owners who paved the way for others. I’m sure we’re all familiar with the most famous names such as Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, or Michael Jordan but I hadn’t known about Jack Johnson, Isaac Murphy, or Rube Foster. Throughout the book, Rhoden highlights many of these names and talks about their past, their rise, and eventual fall in the racist system of sports.
I also liked that the author didn’t spare anyone in his book despite their fame. He mentions how Jackie Robinson destroyed the negro leagues by leaving to integrate the MLB; he talks about Michael Jordan’s passivity and desire to remain neutral when his clout could have helped bring attention to black issues; and he criticizes Bob Johnson, founder of BET, for chasing money and using his blackness to his benefit to become owner of the NBA team Charlotte Bobcats.
More than just attacking famous names, Rhoden emphasizes the collective power these athletes, owners, and entrepreneurs can have to change the system. It, of course, would take a lot of courage, numbers, and hope but it wouldn’t be entirely impossible to change the plantation mindset of sports. If only, if only…. 4 stars!
September 21, 2018
Even after more than a decade, “Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete” is still a serviceable book about the challenges and adversity black athletes faced throughout history and continue to face as they churn through the merciless, mostly white-owned machinations of pro-sports. Is the book insightful and interesting? Definitely. Is it a page-turner? Not really. Reading this felt a bit like a necessary chore. And, I feel like Rhoden is a little unfair in his criticism of the ignorant aspiring black athlete, who he believes should know more about their predecessors. And, he laments the lack of coverage of black women in sports only to spend a single chapter of his book on the topic. Despite it’s flaws, this book provides some valuable historical context about the black athlete – especially in a time when figures like Lebron and Kaepernick are heckled to just “shut up and play the game.”
May 5, 2024
Excellent. Excellent. Excellent.
I’ve never considered myself a sports fan, so although this book ignited my interests years ago due to its social commentary on race, it’s been at the rear of my tbr for well over a decade. I’m ashamed that it took me so long to feel “ready” for this book. Yes, sports are at the epicenter, but this masterpiece is so much more than that. I learned so much about the history of black athletes’ acceptance into an integrated world of competition and the slow, calculated method to indoctrinate so many of them into subservience. I also learned about the co-opting of style and erasure of black female athletes like Lusia Harris from the history books.
What intrigued me most about this book was the chapter that highlighted the “conveyor belt” - the process of luring athletic children into the national sports pipeline. I hadn’t previously thought about how long it takes to get parents, high school coaches and children acclimated to a world of riches and privilege at the expense of their communities and identities but this book truly opened my eyes. It’s so important for parents to gate keep from those who wish to exploit their kids for profit knowing their individual interest will always be placed on the back burner if realized at all. “Shut up and play” was and still is a pervasive ideal among many commentators and fans who fail to see the detrimental effects a black athlete commodifying his skills blindly will have not only on himself but those who depend on him to give back and uplift his community.
I encourage all parents of athletes (black and non-black) to read this book and generate conversation about individualism vs community, ambivalence vs acquiescence and winning vs tokenism. This book is also, of course, a great resource for athletes who would like to learn from the past and better understand the sports world and the effects it’s had on black American culture. Definitely a 5-star read!
I’ve never considered myself a sports fan, so although this book ignited my interests years ago due to its social commentary on race, it’s been at the rear of my tbr for well over a decade. I’m ashamed that it took me so long to feel “ready” for this book. Yes, sports are at the epicenter, but this masterpiece is so much more than that. I learned so much about the history of black athletes’ acceptance into an integrated world of competition and the slow, calculated method to indoctrinate so many of them into subservience. I also learned about the co-opting of style and erasure of black female athletes like Lusia Harris from the history books.
What intrigued me most about this book was the chapter that highlighted the “conveyor belt” - the process of luring athletic children into the national sports pipeline. I hadn’t previously thought about how long it takes to get parents, high school coaches and children acclimated to a world of riches and privilege at the expense of their communities and identities but this book truly opened my eyes. It’s so important for parents to gate keep from those who wish to exploit their kids for profit knowing their individual interest will always be placed on the back burner if realized at all. “Shut up and play” was and still is a pervasive ideal among many commentators and fans who fail to see the detrimental effects a black athlete commodifying his skills blindly will have not only on himself but those who depend on him to give back and uplift his community.
I encourage all parents of athletes (black and non-black) to read this book and generate conversation about individualism vs community, ambivalence vs acquiescence and winning vs tokenism. This book is also, of course, a great resource for athletes who would like to learn from the past and better understand the sports world and the effects it’s had on black American culture. Definitely a 5-star read!
April 22, 2018
I’m late to the party on this book, as I am with so many things. The author uses as an extended metaphor the journey of the tribe of Israel to the promised land, and its shockingly effective. The author contrasts individual monetary success with individual and group negotiating power. I wish there was further discussion of how the individualist, capitalist ideals that undergird American self-perception support the former and not the latter. A society where collectivism is valued might not look like this.
The history is told through a variety of sports, and I learned a lot and truly enjoyed it. I am not a big sports fan at all, but the culture and critiques of it are gripping nonetheless. I was a little worried that this would be academic and dry but it is a great read.
The history is told through a variety of sports, and I learned a lot and truly enjoyed it. I am not a big sports fan at all, but the culture and critiques of it are gripping nonetheless. I was a little worried that this would be academic and dry but it is a great read.
January 17, 2018
Thought-provoking and a crucial read, especially in light of NFL kneeling protests. Rhoden does a great job of explaining how sporting events became as an outlet for slaves, how black athletes were systematically blocked out of sports as they rose to acclaim (Jockey syndrome), how black athletes are separated from the communities, the conveyor belt, etc. I really appreciated the stories about Kellen Winslow and his son (and Rick Neuheisel), Curt Flood, and Michael Jordan. At times I wished there were more anecdotes to illustrate some of Rhoden's analysis, but overall very readable, enlightening, and distressing. It provides a great, fairly broad look at the history and struggles of black athletes.
Also this Jackie Robinson quote stuck out to me: "...I am convinced that the black struggle and its solution are fundamental to the struggle to make America what it is supposed to be" (235).
Also this Jackie Robinson quote stuck out to me: "...I am convinced that the black struggle and its solution are fundamental to the struggle to make America what it is supposed to be" (235).
November 29, 2017
Incredible book. Published 11 years ago and covers the history of black athletes beginning hundreds of years ago but its message is so important even now.
February 18, 2021
A wonderful look at the history of Black participation in sports, and how Black progress consistently gets co-opted by fearful Whites. Written before Colin Kaepernick protested non-violently, it gives context to the backlash against him. A strong message to organize without creating villains, easy to read, and a must for every sports fan in America.
March 16, 2024
Hugely important look into the history of black athletes in the US, highly recommend.
Really well written and easy to follow
Really well written and easy to follow
May 25, 2018
[4 stars] A thorough analysis of race - Blackness specifically - and racialized class in sports. The first few chapters read like a history lesson while the last seven delved deeper into various areas of critique; it took me a while to get into the book because of this format but I think also because I am less interested in boxing and horseracing than the other sports discussed. I wish the chapter on race and gender had been earlier - thereby opening up space for a gender lens to be integrated into every chapter following - and had explicitly cited Crenshaw's work on intersectionality, since it was the framing that Rhoden employed without crediting her words. Given that the book is 12 years old, I'd love to see a second edition with a stronger gender lens (more on the Williams sisters, the WNBA, and Black female Olympians!) and perspectives on the (changing? growing? stagnant?) role of unionization, LeBron's business model (on its own and in contrast to his chapter on Jordan's capitalist neutrality), player protests of police brutality, mental health, and NCAA scandals. An in-depth knowledge of sports isn't needed to enjoy the book - but of course makes reading it richer. Highly recommended for folks interested in history, sports, race, and/or critiques of capitalism and power.
July 4, 2014
I appreciated Rhoden’s detailed and moving history of the black athlete. He highlights the hardships, the atrocities and the spirit to which the black athlete excelled in the face of such monumental adversity. Rhoden took us from boxing in the early 19th century; to horse-racing mid-19th century; to the Negro Leagues in the mid-20th century; and up to the modern day athletes that we intimately know. From this point of view Forty Million Dollar Slave is an excellent book.
I also see no controversy over his title, Forty Million Dollar Slave, since he gives its origin and his thought process about his earlier book title ideas very clearly in his Prologue. Those that react to the title are telling more about themselves and the cover of a book than about the book itself. Is an author not allowed to be provocative in order sell books? The title portends to what’s inside and is therefore entirely appropriate.
However, I do have a few critiques – or questions that were never answered – that someone on the fence may want to know before they read the book. Rhoden continually hammers home the point about the “racist sports-industrial complex,” which has repeatedly over the years co-opted the black sports infrastructure to the detriment of black power. And in the context of the Civil Rights era I would have to agree – up to a point. To try and hammer that point home in today’s world, I believe, is misguided and has diminishing returns. In Rhoden’s defense, racism still exists and it’s not hard to find if you’re looking for it (at the time of this writing LA Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, is being forced by the NBA to sell his team because his racist comments reached the public). However, to look for racism under every stone is also an unbalanced view of the world. Does racism really still manipulate every executive decision in sports? To think that today’s owners ever do anything for their franchises’ that don’t involved the color green (instead of black) is not being fair or honest. In fact, Rhoden undermines his own premise when he describes the exploits of Bob Johnson – the first black owner of the NBA – who didn't think about the back power structure or see things as black and white, but disappointingly only green.
He did make some good points about Michael Jordan shamefully sitting on the sidelines for important social issues and how black athletes don’t recognize when to use their power and how to protect themselves – the stories on Kellen Winslow and Jr., as well as The Fab Five were especially insightful. Unfortunately, Rhoden never mentions the other athletes that are swept up in his “racist sports-industrial complex” - you know the Hispanics, the Asians, and Whites who are also being chewed up and spit out and generally being taken advantage of for their short indentured servitude. The NFL is currently battling and bullying the NFL Players Association to take pennies on the dollar for health care due to brain damage via concussions. Note to Rhoden: they are not singling out blacks to screw over, they are screwing everyone over. Contrary to Rhoden’s belief, I believe capitalism is the overwhelming force in sports today, not racism.
Lastly and maybe most importantly is a question I couldn't get out of my mind while reading his book. Would creating a separate and maybe equal black sports complex to challenge the white sports complex provide the harmonizing multiculturalism we all desire or would it perpetuate more racism? Consider a society that would constantly compare black culture and white culture in a competitive nature, that doesn't inspire harmony. And even if that black power structure would provide the multiculturalism we desire would it do so faster than integration? These questions are not considered in this book.
I also see no controversy over his title, Forty Million Dollar Slave, since he gives its origin and his thought process about his earlier book title ideas very clearly in his Prologue. Those that react to the title are telling more about themselves and the cover of a book than about the book itself. Is an author not allowed to be provocative in order sell books? The title portends to what’s inside and is therefore entirely appropriate.
However, I do have a few critiques – or questions that were never answered – that someone on the fence may want to know before they read the book. Rhoden continually hammers home the point about the “racist sports-industrial complex,” which has repeatedly over the years co-opted the black sports infrastructure to the detriment of black power. And in the context of the Civil Rights era I would have to agree – up to a point. To try and hammer that point home in today’s world, I believe, is misguided and has diminishing returns. In Rhoden’s defense, racism still exists and it’s not hard to find if you’re looking for it (at the time of this writing LA Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, is being forced by the NBA to sell his team because his racist comments reached the public). However, to look for racism under every stone is also an unbalanced view of the world. Does racism really still manipulate every executive decision in sports? To think that today’s owners ever do anything for their franchises’ that don’t involved the color green (instead of black) is not being fair or honest. In fact, Rhoden undermines his own premise when he describes the exploits of Bob Johnson – the first black owner of the NBA – who didn't think about the back power structure or see things as black and white, but disappointingly only green.
He did make some good points about Michael Jordan shamefully sitting on the sidelines for important social issues and how black athletes don’t recognize when to use their power and how to protect themselves – the stories on Kellen Winslow and Jr., as well as The Fab Five were especially insightful. Unfortunately, Rhoden never mentions the other athletes that are swept up in his “racist sports-industrial complex” - you know the Hispanics, the Asians, and Whites who are also being chewed up and spit out and generally being taken advantage of for their short indentured servitude. The NFL is currently battling and bullying the NFL Players Association to take pennies on the dollar for health care due to brain damage via concussions. Note to Rhoden: they are not singling out blacks to screw over, they are screwing everyone over. Contrary to Rhoden’s belief, I believe capitalism is the overwhelming force in sports today, not racism.
Lastly and maybe most importantly is a question I couldn't get out of my mind while reading his book. Would creating a separate and maybe equal black sports complex to challenge the white sports complex provide the harmonizing multiculturalism we all desire or would it perpetuate more racism? Consider a society that would constantly compare black culture and white culture in a competitive nature, that doesn't inspire harmony. And even if that black power structure would provide the multiculturalism we desire would it do so faster than integration? These questions are not considered in this book.
January 17, 2022
I wonderful book that changed my out look on the sport industry and black athletes. I never knew how important HBCU and Black ran organization were until reading this. Also just mind blowing information about the history of boxing and it’s connection to the African American community. Definitely buying this book.
August 3, 2011
"Integration in sports--as opposed to integration at the ballot box or in public conveyances--was a winning proposition for the whites who controlled the sports-industrial complex. They could move to exploit black muscle and talent, thus sucking the life out of black institutions, while at the same time giving themselves credit for being humanitarians."
The quote above gives you a good idea of the main argument in this book that traces black athletes from slavery to modern day sports. The title and the metaphor isn't a straight comparison, but a mentality and a fact that whites still control the wealth and have the power, no matter the salaries of the players.
"As long as black people don't take control of the industry that feeds them, they will always work at the pleasure of the white power structure, a structure that would like nothing more than to wean itself from its dependence on black muscle, to finally shake free of the Faustian pact of integration."
The quote above gives you a good idea of the main argument in this book that traces black athletes from slavery to modern day sports. The title and the metaphor isn't a straight comparison, but a mentality and a fact that whites still control the wealth and have the power, no matter the salaries of the players.
"As long as black people don't take control of the industry that feeds them, they will always work at the pleasure of the white power structure, a structure that would like nothing more than to wean itself from its dependence on black muscle, to finally shake free of the Faustian pact of integration."
August 21, 2016
This was a tired argument when the book was published, 10-plus years ago—professional athletes make boatloads of money, but they don't really run shit in these leagues; the owners even tell them what they're allowed to wear to the games. But there was quite a bit here that was still news to me, and not just because I could give a rat's ass about sports. It tells the entire history of the black athlete in America, going back to when there was hardly such a thing as pro sports, all the way to the present, i.e. a while back, showing all of the various ways in which black athletes have been screwed over by the white power structure that runs pro sports. It would be cool to see a version of this updated to cover the events of the past 10 years or so, including Jordan becoming a billionaire, Lebron's decision, Donald Sterling, etc., or even a sequel.
December 31, 2020
Excellent book.
July 10, 2015
I learned a lot I didn't know about the history of Black athletes in the United States of America. It was a good read. It dragged sometimes but for the most part, it held my attention.
In all non-fiction books, I'm a stickler for evidence and he provided a concise list of where he got all his information in the notes and bibliography.
I give it 3.5 stars because he really did breeze over the female aspect. Also, some of the chapters were a bit long for my taste. Still it was a good read and extremely informative. I think all young athletes, especially young black athletes (male and female) should read this book...
In all non-fiction books, I'm a stickler for evidence and he provided a concise list of where he got all his information in the notes and bibliography.
I give it 3.5 stars because he really did breeze over the female aspect. Also, some of the chapters were a bit long for my taste. Still it was a good read and extremely informative. I think all young athletes, especially young black athletes (male and female) should read this book...
April 9, 2023
WE HAVE COME SO FAR WITH A LONG WAY TO GO
This book has been on my reading list for a few years, and it is one of the most profound books I have read in a long time, and it did not disappoint! The research for the book was exceptional coupled with his own lived experiences made it even better. Overall a must read for any black aspiring athlete and their loved ones, or even for a white person looking to get a perspective outside of their inherent privilege. A definite recommendation and hope to read more from this author!
This book has been on my reading list for a few years, and it is one of the most profound books I have read in a long time, and it did not disappoint! The research for the book was exceptional coupled with his own lived experiences made it even better. Overall a must read for any black aspiring athlete and their loved ones, or even for a white person looking to get a perspective outside of their inherent privilege. A definite recommendation and hope to read more from this author!
June 25, 2014
At times I felt the book wasn't as in depth as I'd like it to be but overrall I throughly enjoyed a brief look into the difficulties faced by African-Americans in sports that many currently believe they have always dominated. Raised excellent questions about the roles of African-American superstars and was quite thought-provoking - further making me wonder if you can ever truly dismantle racism in any capitalist society. Recommended.
August 9, 2017
The story of Michael Jordan being shut out from ownership after coming out of retirement for the wizards was something I was completely unfamiliar with and I found it appalling. Also, this book offered an interesting perspective on the famous Jackie Robinson story and his role in baseball history. Well written and interesting, even for very non-sports following people like me.
September 25, 2019
Easily the best sports book I've ever read. There is So much history that I did not know of or took for granted. This changed my whole perspective regarding how I view our athletes and how they undermine their true worth.
July 30, 2017
Very eye-opening! I highly recommend this, especially for younger athletes or black folks who like sports (not that I am either of those things).
September 22, 2020
this was a great book on the history of African Americans in professional sports.
January 24, 2022
The prose is not always fluid or sharp, but the insights and history were compelling, highlighted by the author’s own experiences. Even so, Rhoden argues convincingly at times that integration boosted individual black athletes while failing the broader African-American community, which used to have its own sports franchises (and more economic power) under segregation.
This was somewhat upside down for me, albeit mind-opening, as racial segregation was (and is) something that was fought against historically. But integration did have its downsides apparently, especially as it applied to African-American sports leagues.
Following Rhoden’s argument, you can begin to imagine today’s black athletes pooling their resources and starting their own NBA (for example), an electrifying path forward. However, he offers a cautionary tale of Robert Johnson’s ownership of the Charlotte Bobcats; ironically, that team was sold to Michael Jordan, whom Rhoden criticizes for being apolitical. Black ownership on its own means nothing if it also doesn’t give back to the community; how that would look in practice, though, Rhoden does not say. And as for a standalone black league, I can imagine a lot of reverse discrimination lawsuits, but Rhoden never gets into the nitty gritty.
There also seems to be a generational lament throughout this book, as Rhoden came of age in the 1960s, and he says athletes born after 1970 take for granted their status, uncaring and unaware of their place in the African-American struggle. Referring often to his own Baby Boomer past, he seems out of touch with more contemporary streams of black political consciousness. As such, his argument has a “kids-these-days” tinge, and offers no current examples for hope and does little to inspire; maybe that’s his point.
While Rhoden covers horse racing and boxing here, his book is mainly focused on the larger sports in America (baseball, football, and basketball). That said, Rhoden could have explored Jesse Owens, Tiger Woods, and the Williams sisters and their impact on their respective sports. Woods and Serena Williams were coming to prominence when this book was written. If anything, their examples probably would have only strengthened Rhoden’s argument.
Their exclusion underscores Rhoden’s fixation on the past, and his oft-mentioned point that black political awareness basically switched off around 1970. This was written before Black Lives Matter, but it does make one wonder why he didn’t it coming, and it’s quite possible that he didn’t give future generations enough credit.
He touches upon the Fab Five, who were attuned to what was going on around them culturally; indeed, they brought a street style to college basketball that set new trends, in much the way Rhoden describes for black athletes at other times. It’s sort of like Rhoden never heard of Do the Right Thing, Public Enemy, NWA, or Rodney King and the LA riots. His is a kind of a typical old Boomer progressive response to blame the next generation of progressives for not being radical enough, or radical in the same way. We’ve heard this before, and often, from Boomers: the last good decade—for everything—was the 1960s. With those blinders on, I had to wonder if Rhoden looked hard enough, even or looking at all.
It was also difficult throughout to separate sports from a broader political and social context. Most of his examples come before integration was the law of the land (if not always carried through in economic terms even today). This book also came before the Obama years and the Trump backlash. I have a feeling, though, that if Rhoden were to provide an update to this book covering the last decade, he would probably note how little has changed, and rightly so. There are certainly parallels to be made between McDonald’s, Amazon, and major league sports teams; their white owners all exploit black labor, it’s just a question of how much, or how little, those employees get paid.
While Rhoden decries the decline of black activism on the field, I also kept thinking of Colin Kaepernick and his black peers while I read this, as an example of the type of empowered and politically conscious black athlete that Rhoden wishes we had more of these days. Kaepernick also fell victim to the type of silencing white-owner power structure that Rhoden mapped out here, proving that the point of his book is still relevant and resonant. We celebrate black achievement on the field, but they are otherwise powerless servants on their league’s plantation.
This was somewhat upside down for me, albeit mind-opening, as racial segregation was (and is) something that was fought against historically. But integration did have its downsides apparently, especially as it applied to African-American sports leagues.
Following Rhoden’s argument, you can begin to imagine today’s black athletes pooling their resources and starting their own NBA (for example), an electrifying path forward. However, he offers a cautionary tale of Robert Johnson’s ownership of the Charlotte Bobcats; ironically, that team was sold to Michael Jordan, whom Rhoden criticizes for being apolitical. Black ownership on its own means nothing if it also doesn’t give back to the community; how that would look in practice, though, Rhoden does not say. And as for a standalone black league, I can imagine a lot of reverse discrimination lawsuits, but Rhoden never gets into the nitty gritty.
There also seems to be a generational lament throughout this book, as Rhoden came of age in the 1960s, and he says athletes born after 1970 take for granted their status, uncaring and unaware of their place in the African-American struggle. Referring often to his own Baby Boomer past, he seems out of touch with more contemporary streams of black political consciousness. As such, his argument has a “kids-these-days” tinge, and offers no current examples for hope and does little to inspire; maybe that’s his point.
While Rhoden covers horse racing and boxing here, his book is mainly focused on the larger sports in America (baseball, football, and basketball). That said, Rhoden could have explored Jesse Owens, Tiger Woods, and the Williams sisters and their impact on their respective sports. Woods and Serena Williams were coming to prominence when this book was written. If anything, their examples probably would have only strengthened Rhoden’s argument.
Their exclusion underscores Rhoden’s fixation on the past, and his oft-mentioned point that black political awareness basically switched off around 1970. This was written before Black Lives Matter, but it does make one wonder why he didn’t it coming, and it’s quite possible that he didn’t give future generations enough credit.
He touches upon the Fab Five, who were attuned to what was going on around them culturally; indeed, they brought a street style to college basketball that set new trends, in much the way Rhoden describes for black athletes at other times. It’s sort of like Rhoden never heard of Do the Right Thing, Public Enemy, NWA, or Rodney King and the LA riots. His is a kind of a typical old Boomer progressive response to blame the next generation of progressives for not being radical enough, or radical in the same way. We’ve heard this before, and often, from Boomers: the last good decade—for everything—was the 1960s. With those blinders on, I had to wonder if Rhoden looked hard enough, even or looking at all.
It was also difficult throughout to separate sports from a broader political and social context. Most of his examples come before integration was the law of the land (if not always carried through in economic terms even today). This book also came before the Obama years and the Trump backlash. I have a feeling, though, that if Rhoden were to provide an update to this book covering the last decade, he would probably note how little has changed, and rightly so. There are certainly parallels to be made between McDonald’s, Amazon, and major league sports teams; their white owners all exploit black labor, it’s just a question of how much, or how little, those employees get paid.
While Rhoden decries the decline of black activism on the field, I also kept thinking of Colin Kaepernick and his black peers while I read this, as an example of the type of empowered and politically conscious black athlete that Rhoden wishes we had more of these days. Kaepernick also fell victim to the type of silencing white-owner power structure that Rhoden mapped out here, proving that the point of his book is still relevant and resonant. We celebrate black achievement on the field, but they are otherwise powerless servants on their league’s plantation.
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