Racism in professional sports has been documented for decades. However, only in recent years has it been more noticeable. The recent ‘Take the Knee’ Movement ahs sparked outrage on both sides as people fight for equality and others fight for patriotism. However, this is just one symptom of a much larger disease that is institutionalized racism and how it crossed over into sports. Certain theories like critical race theory and colorism allow for an understanding of what it means to be a person of color in professional sports and how it affects certain outcomes. This essay is meant to highlight what racism in professional sports is, how it has led to the ‘Take the Knee Movement’, and how theory plays a part in understanding it all.

Professional sports in the United States has been a ‘Whites Only’ area up until the mid-20th century. It was not until certain black athletes became the first to achieve a professional sports position like quarterback for there to be some integration of people of color on the field. For example, 1953 saw Willie Thrower become the first-ever black quarterback in Am erican Football and it only one black QB, Douglass Williams has led his team to the Super Bowl. “Doug Williams has been the only black QB to lead his team his team to a Super Bowl win when he led the Washington Redskins blew out the Denver Broncos 42-10 in Super Bowl XXII.” (Fuhrman) This shows not only that is was hard to gain such a position then, but it is also difficult now with only 4 spots or so being given to non-white players (QB position).

No one knew the struggle of being non-white in professional sports than Jackie Robinson. His efforts landed him a role as one of the greatest sports players in history. However, he had to struggle greatly to do so. His story is one of the highlights of black athletes in sports and staunch racism as well.

Jackie Robinson was a great baseball player. Through his first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers, he managed to become the first African-American in the Major Leagues. His will and determination set him above everyone else and allowed him to shine amidst such troubling times. Even with the racism he encountered during his time as a baseball player, he did not let it affect him and managed to perform well enough to win a much-covered Rookie of the Year title.

During his first season in the majors, Robinson encountered racism from opposing teams and fans, as well as some of his own teammates. However, the abuse didn’t affect his performance on the baseball field. Robinson played in 151 games, hit .297, stole more bases than anyone else in the National League and was awarded the first-ever Rookie of the Year title. (History.com Staff)

His and other’s stories show that racism was rampant in professional sports in the mid-20th century. However, some people believe it has all but left in modern times. This is not the case as while blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and other ethnic groups enter sports, there are still racial barriers there that keep such athletes from feeling completely at home in their teams and in their sports. In fact, in the last few years, incidents of racism have increased leading people to believe racism remains prevalent in professional sports. “The same was true in sport in 2016, where such acts tripled from 11 in 2015 to 31 in 2016, according to research…There were 104 reported incidents of racism in sports internationally in 2016.” (Lapchick)

Why is this the case? What can help better understand the existence of racism in sports? Critical race theory and colorism are theoretical frameworks that may help explain why racism remains such a problem in professional sports. Critical race theory (CRT) is a theoretical framework that allows for application of critical theory. Critical theory is a critical analysis of culture and society regarding things like law, race, and power. Some key elements of CRT is storytelling/counterstorytelling, Essentialism philosophy, and structural determinism. (Martin) When applied to the area of professional sports it can help pick apart the different aspects of race and racism inherent in American culture that creates the prevalence of inequality in professional sports.

CRT’s focus on social justice and transformation are two areas of convergence between critical race theorists and anti-racists. Of the many nuanced and pernicious forms of racism, one of the most obvious and commonly reported forms of racism in sport, racial abuse, has been described as a kind of dehumanizing process by Gardiner (2003), as those who are its target are simultaneously (re)constructed and objectified according to everyday myth and fantasy. (Hylton 335)

An excellent example of this is the Black Lives Matter Movement and how it crossed over as being the cause for the Take the Knee Movement. People saw the police brutality rampant across the country and the unfair treatment of black men by the American government, so some athletes decided to abscond from standing for the pledge of allegiance. This left a sour taste in many, notably President Trump, and people on both sides began to argue. What began as something as a protest for racial inequality and police brutality, took on something greater as some believed it was a protest the country and patriotism.

These stories help provide context as to why racism exists in an area like professional sports. If one looks at the time when Jackie Robinson played, there was segregation and intense racial tension all throughout the United States. These events and situations spur acts of racism in professional sports, in business, and other areas. The next theoretical framework to help create a further understand of the issue is colorism.

What is colorism? “Colorism is the discriminatory treatment of individuals falling within the same ‘racial’ group on the basis of skin color. It operates both intraracially and interracially. Colorism is historically contingent on supremacist assumptions.” (Martin 108) An example of this is the ‘beauty standard’ and how it relates to European beauty regarding hair texture, skin color, and face shape. Colorism can be applied in professional sports in several ways. One way is what certain races are good in versus others. For example, blacks are often see in track and field whereas whites are seen in golf and swimming.

When races are expected to be in one specific sport, it generates limitations. Tiger Woods was one of the first people of color to enter professional golf and win. He provided the foundation from which other people of color and women can enter golf, removing the age-old restriction and belief that only white men can golf. This instance is just one of many that show how colorism can be used to understand the reasons for racism to still exist in professional sports.

Another reason to use colorism as a theoretical framework is because colorism also affects socialization practices in racial groups. Colorism suggests that skin color can play a more important role than ancestry. For example, light-skinned blacks or Hispanics in basketball and baseball may be treated better than their darker-skinned counterparts. Such a theoretical framework suggests racism is not dead and that the racialized social systems in the United States are partly responsible for how people perceive and treat other according to their skin color.

Racism is something that has existed for centuries in the United States and was made legal in several ways through slavery, segregation, and other government measures. It is important to understand this side of the country in order to properly synthesize the information available regarding racism in professional sports. Without this context, it makes it difficult to see why it still remains a problem.

In conclusion, racism in professional sports is a real challenge for people of color attempting to make a career for themselves. Athletes of the past like Jackie Robinson had to contend with racism everyday and later became one of the first in his field to break the major league color barrier. It was him and countless others that made it possible for other athletes of color to participate in professional sports. However, as racism outside of sports continued, it leaked into it, leading to the 2017 ‘Take a Knee’ Movement where athletes began taking the knee when the national anthem played. The movement was created in part because of the Black Lives Matter Movement and the way the government has neglected black people in the United States. Thanks to theory, there is some level of connection that can be made from the events of the past to the events of the present, highlighting a true need for change.

Works Cited

Fuhrman, Zeke. “A History Of African-American Athletes.” Bleacher Report, 24 Oct. 2008, bleacherreport.com/articles/73113-a-history-of-african-american-athletes. Accessed 30 Nov. 2017.

History.com Staff. “Jackie Robinson Breaks Major League Color Barrier – Apr 15, 1947.” HISTORY.com, 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jackie-robinson-breaks-major-league-color-barrier. Accessed 30 Nov. 2017.

Hylton, Kevin. “How a turn to critical race theory can contribute to our understanding of ‘race’, racism and anti-racism in sport.” International Review for the Sociology of Sport, vol. 45, no. 3, 2010, pp. 335-354.

Lapchick, Richard. “The Year in Racism and Sports.” ABC News, 25 Jan. 2017, abcnews.go.com/Sports/year-racism-sports/story?id=45035554. Accessed 30 Nov. 2017.

Martin, Lori L. Out of Bounds: Racism and the Black Athlete. Praeger P, 2014.

—. Out of Bounds: Racism and the Black Athlete. Praeger P, 2014.

Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply

Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?

Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.

Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?

• Plagiarism free papers
• Timely delivery
• Any deadline
• Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
• Subject-relevant academic writer
• Adherence to paper instructions
• Ability to tackle bulk assignments
• Reasonable prices
• 24/7 Customer Support
• Get superb grades consistently

Online Academic Help With Different Subjects

Literature

Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.

Finance

Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.

Computer science

Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!

Psychology

While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.

Engineering

Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.

Nursing

In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.

Sociology

Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.

Business

We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!

Statistics

We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.

Law

Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.

What discipline/subjects do you deal in?

We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.

Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?

Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.

What if I don’t like the paper?

There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.

Reasons being:

• When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
• We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.

In the event that you don’t like your paper:

• The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
• We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
• Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.

Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?

Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.

What if the paper is plagiarized?

We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.

When will I get my paper?

You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.

Will anyone find out that I used your services?

We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.

How our Assignment  Help Service Works

1.      Place an order

You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.

2.      Pay for the order

Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.

3.      Track the progress

You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.

4.      Download the paper

The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.

PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY!!!