More Than a Game: A History of the African-American Experience in Sport

Wiggins, a veteran sports writer and professor at George Mason University, looks at the history of black athletes seeking equal participation in American sports in this enlightening history. Wiggins begins with the “cruel institution of slavery,” in which slaves competed in such work tasks as “log rollings, hog killings, and quilting bees”; from there he quickly moves to black sportsmen during the Jim Crow era, highlighting the athletes who broke the color line, such as boxer Jack Johnson, football player and activist-singer Paul Robeson, runner Jesse Owens, Olympic runner Wilma Rudolph, tennis player Althea Gibson, and the Brooklyn Dodgers’ Jackie Robinson. Wiggins is at his strongest when discussing outspoken athletes during the civil rights era, including basketball’s Bill Russell, baseball’s Curt Flood, and boxer Muhammad Ali. He doubles down on his coverage of the achievements of black athletes during recent times, including tennis star Serena Williams, basketball player LeBron James, and quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who speaks out against police brutality. While he’s optimistic about the future representation of black athletes in sports at all levels, he points out that “one major hurdle that needs to be overcome is the overall participation rates of African American women.” This is an enlightening, strongly presented look at African-Americans in sports. (Aug.)