Activities

Hear Our Voices...
as we shout on the playing fields

Most of us are familiar with such sports figures as Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. For years, however, African Americans were not welcomed in most American sports.

Write a feature article for a sports magazine on the struggles African Americans faced as they tried to compete in major sports. When were they first allowed to compete with white players? Were they welcomed by other players? By fans? What were traveling conditions like? What other difficulties did they face? End with a thoughtful examination of the current situation.

Why are there few blacks playing sports such as ice hockey, golf, and tennis?

Do more African Americans play basketball and football just because they are more popular sports? Or might there be other reasons?

Why are there few black owners or managers of professional teams? Give your own opinion.

Who are some of the African- American athletes who came after the groundbreakers? Did any of them have to struggle as well?

Explore the articles under the subject Sports to familiarize yourself with the subject.

TEACHER GUIDE

Activity:
Write a feature article for a sports magazine on the struggles African Americans faced as they tried to compete in major sports. When were they first allowed to compete with white players? Were they welcomed by other players? By fans? What were traveling conditions like? What other difficulties did they face? End with a thoughtful examination of the current situation. Why are there few blacks playing sports such as ice hockey, golf, and tennis? Do more African Americans play basketball and football just because they are more popular sports? Or might there be other reasons? Why are there few black owners or managers of professional teams? Give your own opinion.

Objectives:
Students will be able to state their concerns and opinions about both the past and present status of African Americans in sports. Using their research findings as well as their opinions, students will be able to write a feature article for a sports magazine that examines the status of African Americans in sports.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

• Allow 1-2 days to access The Britannica Guide to Black History on African Americans in sports and the careers of individual athletes. Assist students with small groupings and options for using computer time effectively, as all students may not have the time to work individually on computers.
• Have all students listen to the Hank Aaron audio segment, which may help provide focus for for the article that students will write. Download a copy of the audio segment which students can use for reviewing.
• Provide access to sports magazines and newspapers, in the classroom or the library, for students to read opinion pieces on African Americans and their roles in athletics. A sports commentator from the local TV station or a local newspaper sports columnist could be invited to speak to the class about these issues.

ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION

An appropriate sports feature article will:

• include a relevant mix of facts and opinions (including the student’s own) concerning African Americans’ struggles to compete in major sports
• follow the format, design principles, and style of feature articles in well-known sports publications
• reflect the criteria for a well-written and carefully edited feature article

TEACHING TIPS

• Lead a class discussion about the presence of African American athletes in sports, both past and present. Consider when color barriers were broken in different sports. Evaluate the recent successes of African American newcomers to sports, such as Tiger Woods (golf) and Venus Williams (tennis). In your discussion, include some of the other questions posed in Activity 3 of the Student Pages.
• Assist students in critiquing samples of magazine articles, paying attention to format, design, and writing style. Discuss how these factors can make an article more effective in presenting information and appealing to an audience. Discuss how special layout features, such as sidebars and charts and graphs for organizing material, can help a writer achieve the intended purpose of the article. Point out how good articles make clear what is fact and what is the writer’s opinion.
• Allow class time for small groups of students (2-3) to engage in peer evaluation sessions to help each other discuss, revise, edit, and proofread their articles before final drafts are composed.

RESOURCES

Sports magazines like Sports Illustrated and Sports Illustrated for Women, as well as magazines devoted to particular sports, will be helpful in allowing students to see models of good sports writing. Also local newspaper sports pages and the work of sports columnists, both local and national, will give students appropriate samples and models to guide them in writing sports feature articles.

Gardner, Robert, and Dennis Shortelle, The Forgotten Players: The Story of Black Baseball in America, Walker & Co., 1993 (young adult).
This volume traces the history of the Negro Leagues and their problems with segregation, and details the experiences of black baseball players from the late-19th to 20th centuries. Contains black-and-white photos and a bibliography.

Shropshire, Kenneth, In Black and White: Race and Sports in America, New York University Press, 1996.
A prominent sports lawyer explores racism in sports and points out the many racial myths that permeate athletics. The book suggests ways to address the various problems and issues of this controversy. Kirkus Reviews calls this book a "solid, well-argued and important study."

Wiggins, Davis K., Glory Bound: Black Athletes in a White World (Sports and Entertainment), Syracuse University Press, 1997 (also in pbk.).
These essays examine the changing roles of black athletes in the United States, from the 19th century to the present. Wiggins shows ways in which black athletes have worked to maintain their own cultural identity and pride in the high-powered world of sports. Midwest Book Review describes this work as "an important study in racial issues and sports."