Date of Submission
Fall 2024
Academic Program
Computer Science; Sociology
Project Advisor 1
Jordan Ayala
Abstract/Artist's Statement
Lebron James, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant are a few of the most famous and widely known Black athletes for those within and outside of the sporting world. They have gained their stardom and popularity through their dominance on the basketball court which has opened up many different avenues and opportunities for them. James has starred in multiple movies, Jordan has created one of, if not the, most successful signature sneaker line of all time, Shaq has invested in many multi million dollar business ventures and had his own musical career, Kobe Bryant won an Oscar for an animated short film “Dear Basketball”, but all four of these superstar athletes have donated millions upon millions of dollars to multiple charities, boys and girls clubs, disease research, and each have started their own foundations to support low income families. The opportunities one can gain from excelling in their sport of choice on a professional level are truly endless. Seeing athletes like James, Jordan, Bryant, O’Neal, Jerry Rice, Ray Lewis,Noah Lyles, and many more live lives of wealth and financial stability can act as a motivating force for young Black and brown kids aspiring to be athletes. The issue is, it isn’t easy to make it to the NBA or any professional level of sport. While many young Black athletes have a plethora of athletes to look up to in terms of representation, those individuals are not only extremely talented but are a part of such a small population of African Americans. So while it's obvious that reaching the professional level of any sport is hard, the amount of Black and brown kids that pursue the “hoop dream”, a desire to play basketball at a professional level, is still incredibly high. The problem isn't that Black kids want to play sports at a high level, the issue is overemphasis placed on them doing so by everyone. But the question is why does this happen? This study explores the overemphasis on athletic aspirations among Black student-athletes, situating the phenomenon within the historical, social, and systemic context of sports and Black culture in America. While professional sports success serves as inspiration, the disproportionate emphasis on sports as a primary pathway to success can limit broader aspirations and perpetuate systemic inequities. Using Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a framework, this research investigates how societal ideologies and institutional structures, particularly in Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs), contribute to the socialization and overemphasis of sports for African Americans. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study incorporates literature review, interviews, surveys, and spatial analysis to gather insights from Black student-athletes. A pilot study at Bard College and the broader Brothers @ Network will provide multiple perspectives. Key areas of focus include racial identity and its relationship to sports, the socialization processes that reinforce sports-centric pathways, and the lived experiences of Black student-athletes navigating academic and athletic spaces. The findings aim to highlight the challenges and implications of this overemphasis, offering potential strategies to create more equitable and inclusive environments for Black student-athletes. By addressing these dynamics, the research seeks to foster greater support for their academic and professional aspirations beyond athletics.
Open Access Agreement
Open Access
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Blake, Caleb E., ""Can You Break the Press?: Racial Identity, Socialization, and the Overemphasis of Sports on Black Student-Athletes" (2024). Senior Projects Fall 2024. 57.
https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/senproj_f2024/57
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