United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young once said, “he took the burden of race and wore it as a cloak of dignity” (Bradley). A promising career as a tennis player, being the first African American tennis player to be ranked number one in the world, was paralleled with success in the battle for racial equality around the world (“Achievements”). People were touched and impacted, yet they only know him for his tennis accomplishments. He, Arthur Ashe, dedicated his life to helping others, as his life was goal was to help the poor, unfortunate, and misinformed (Carter). Arthur Ashe’s advanced coaching, competition, and acceptance into UCLA all led to his successful tennis career, including playing in the Davis Cup for the US and coaching the US …show more content…
Arthur Ashe founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS after he had contracted AIDS, and he established organizations, one being the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health (Gittings; Marvin 10; Moore). Arthur was concerned about more things in his life than simply his tennis career. The organizations he established spread awareness on major world issues. For example, through his foundation for the defeat of AIDS, he raised awareness on the virus, as all organizations for AIDS try to raise awareness and educate the public. Today, a much greater amount of people know about AIDS from multiple organizations and institutions, and one of those foundations was established by Arthur Ashe. Through sponsoring events and campaigns for children, Arthur Ashe showed everyone that even as a professional athlete he cared about children and their future. The focus of these events and campaigns was tennis; however, Ashe always stressed that education came first (Marvin 9). Using his tennis fame, Arthur made sure children were able to express their interests. Additionally, he ensured that the children that attended his events knew the importance of education coming first. Arthur Ashe used his fame as a tennis player in a positive and beneficial way by raising awareness on the important aspects of …show more content…
The introduction of Arthur Ashe to Dr. Johnson had a snowball effect that started when Ashe broke racial barriers by being the first African American to play in the Maryland boys’ Championship. Ashe’s search for competition resulted in him moving to St. Louis, Missouri, where the name Arthur Ashe began to spread across the nation. Accepting a full scholarship to UCLA, Arthur Ashe gained much recognition during his time there and further developed his skill to balance a busy schedule. Arthur Ashe spread education and awareness on major topics and issues by founding various institutions and organizations and sponsoring life-changing events and campaigns. Opening a door of opportunity for minorities by setting a life-long example let minorities feel more comfortable in their prospects. Even though Arthur Ashe is no longer alive, he is still inspiring people today and acting as their role model. Arthur Ashe lived a short, but meaningful life. He touched everyone around him, especially by wearing “the burden of race... as a cloak of dignity,” showing the world what could be accomplished with hard work and
“Citizen: An American Lyric” is a poem about the issues of race that gives a voice to African-Americans and strife in a white majority country. The book begins with the mention of “racial incidents experienced by Rankine and friends of hers” in the second person (Chiasson 1). Then, the experiences in a private school, the cabin of a plane, and on the way to therapy demonstrate that Claudia Rankine used African-Americans as professionals and academics who encounter injustices (Bass 1). For example, the author implements Serena Williams’ story. As a black tennis player in a white dominated sport, she had to confront “egregious acts of racism and unfairness” from umpires and commentators (Evaristo 1). One of the author’s objectives is to demonstrate that “no American citizen is ever really free of race and
Gawande talks about how he came up with the idea of hiring a coach to watch him perform surgery after an experience he had playing tennis. Years of playing the game and not improving, Gawande incidentally finds himself play tennis with a young man who is a tennis couch. The young man gives Gawande a tip about keeping his feet under his body when hitting the ball. At first he is uncertain, stating, “My serve had always been the best part of my game…..With a few minutes of tinkering, he’d added at least ten miles an hour to my serve. I was serving harder than I ever had in my life” (Gawande, 2011, p.3). Gawande is so greatly impacted by this experience that he decides to hire a coach to help him with is professional endeavors.
One of the major stands that were made during a black athlete’s tenure during his or her sport were their statements on racism. Racism in America was an ongoing situation in the 1900’s that seemed to have no resolve before black athletes took a stand. One prime example can be Jackie Robinson who became the first African-American athlete to play baseball in the modern era. Jackie grew up in one of the most racist towns in Pasadena, California and came from a poor family as his parents were sharecroppers and...
Jackie Robinson’s ability to successfully integrate his sport set the stage for many others to advocate for an end to segregation in their respective environments. His period of trials and triumphs were significant to changing American perception of the Civil Rights revolution. By becoming the first African-American baseball player to play in the major leagues, he brought down an old misconception that black athletes were inferior to white athletes. Successively, his example would inspire those advocating for their civil rights, he lived out a message of nonviolence similar to the one Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived out. Despite the constant prejudice he faced in his sport, he was able to keep himself composed and never retaliate.
Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. is a man of trust, courage, grace and honor. Although many of these attriobutes I share with Arthur, his high level of moral values and self reliance I aspire to achieve. Arthur was of African American decent and being born on July 10, 1943 in Richmond, Virginia he had to face many racial struggles and hardships. On the contrary, I was born and raised in somerset, New Jersey, in the 1990’s so my racial struggles were close to non-existent. Being of Italian- American decent, if I had lived in the time of Arthur Ashe I still would not have faced racial struggles as greatly as African Americans did in that time.
To start off, for Jackie Robinsons bravery to stop the color barrier Jackie Robinson had the courage for two years no one else had. In the article “Skin Games” Gregg Guss states, “For two full years he ‘turned the other cheek’, his brain keeping his mouth shut while his heart burned with rage at the insults he knew he must tolerate”(2). Robinson managed to do a lot even with all the abuse he suffered. He had to walk away from name calling, death threats even as a child he faced abused being the only black family who lived in a white neighborhood. In the article “Skin Games” Gregg Guss states, “The world Jackie Robinson grew up in was separate and unequal” (3). All Jackie Robinson wanted to do was make the game he loved equal for all. He wanted to show that African Americans could play any sport just as good as anyone else that there skin color did not define their talents. Although Jackie Robinson faced a lot making the path for African Americans he did it bravely, diligently...
Jackie Robinson was a black man that played a white man only sport. Jackie Robinson’s life was outstanding regardless of the obstacles that were thrown in his way in order for him to make it to the top. Jackie Robinson overcame the pain people put him through with the support of his family, friends, and his God given talent, which was playing baseball. Jackie Robinson overcame the negativity of white people during the Civil Rights Movement. For this reason, Jackie Robinson never gave up on his dream and proved people wrong. Jackie Robinson became a vocal champion for the African-American athletes around the world (“Robinson, Jackie - Black History”).
Black excellence: a term that is possibly defined as the recognition and celebration of the successes of the black community. Lacking from the definition is the idea that the acknowledgement of the excellence for black community is directly correlated to the experience of racism. In order for black excellence to be acknowledged, you must discuss the racism it had to overcome in order to reach said excellence. In the essay entitled “The Meaning of Serena Williams”, author Claudia Rankine discusses the career of tennis phenomenon Serena Williams and the natural excellence that she embodies. Throughout the essay, Rankine explores the perceptions of Serena’s excellence in relation to her identity as a black woman. For Rankine, while she never explicitly defines black excellence, she refers to the phrase when she states, “Only after they give 150 percent will white Americans recognize black excellence for what it is” (Rankine). They, in this case, refers to the black community and the belief among the community that in order to achieve recognition for being excellent, you must work harder than members of the white community. Even when acknowledged, it is often hypocritical because the acknowledgement stems from the idea that despite being black, you were able to achieve some sort of excellence. This is the problem.
Although he grew up amongst poverty and racial slurs, Robinson learned he could gain acceptance of others with his athleticism. Throughout his childhood, Robinson joined an interracial group, consisting or poor black, Japanese, and Hispanic boys (“Jackie Robinson” 1); they would walk the streets challenging white boys to sports matches. He used this group to sharpen his skills in order to stand out at school. Robinson attended John Muir Technical High School where he excelled in baseball, football, basketball, and track (“Jackie Rob...
Wiggins, David Kenneth, and Patrick B. Miller. 2003. The unlevel playing field: a documentary history of the African American experience in sport. Urbana: University of Illinois Press
The first African American to play Major League baseball once said, “a life is not important, except in the impact it has on other lives”; this was, of course, Jackie Robinson. Similar to Muhammad Ali, he faced problems head on a...
Discrimination and segregation of African Americans had existed for generations. Whites and blacks were separated in schools, churches, on buses, in restaurants and on the playing fields. In the early 1900’s, there was not only continued bias towards African Americans; many lived in contiguous neighborhoods, minimizing interaction with other Americans. Sports where African Americans once demonstrated dominance such as cycling and horse racing discriminated also. Cyclist Marshall “Major” Taylor at one time dominated American cycling until “jealous white rivals colluded to force Taylor to see his sustenance in Europe by 1901” (Wiggins, p.158) Taylor was a pioneer for African American athletes. He “overcame the constraints of a society bounded by the racial hypocrisy...
The scholars expounds that Black athletes were commodities on the playing field to help win games and bring in revenue to their respected schools. However, the schools were just as eager and willing to leave their Black players behind and dishonoring the player as a part of the team. Therefore, not compromising the team’s winning and bring in profits for the school. Sadly, Black athletes at predominately White institutions (PWIs) who believed that they were bettering the live of themselves and their families members by going to college and playing collegiate sports to increase their post secondary careers. However, these athletes were only “show ponies” for their schools. Unfortunately, Black athletes had allegiance to their school; however, the school turned their backs on the athletes to protect the profit and notoriety of the school and the programs. Money and respect from White fans and spectators were more important to the PWIs than standing up for the respect of their Black players. Racial bigotry in sports was rampant and it was only going to get worse.
Whitaker, Matthew C.. African American icons of sport: triumph, courage, and excellence. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2008.
Grundy, 173. After the war, athletic programs began to grow with funding and in the early 1950s, African American institutions started to gain acceptance into the athletic associations and tournaments. Grundy concludes with the fact that "North Carolina's black institutions began to realize decades of hopeful talk about using college athletic teams to foster racial respect" (Grundy, 189). In Grundy's epilogue of Sports and Social Change, she reiterated the fact that sports clearly reflected and had a great influence on North Carolinian society since the late nineteenth century.