Each week, the library will feature a video or radio interview highlighting a specific African American athlete or athletes who played a pivotal role in breaking barriers.
History through Film and Radio:
The Intersection of Sports,
Kapernick and America
Presented by Dr. Gary Gershman
Each week, the library will feature a video or radio interview (30 to 60 minutes in length) highlighting a specific African American athlete or athletes who played a pivotal role in breaking barriers and challenging societal norms in the United States. The program will examine the broader historical context through the lens of sports and will connect key moments in history with iconic athletes and events.
Anyone who watched the NFL in the last decade remembers the profound impact of Colin Kaepernick’s protest against the beating and killing of Black men on both the sport and society. His decision to first sit and then kneel during the national anthem not only drew attention to issues of racial injustice but also exposed the uneasy intersection of patriotism, the military, and the NFL. Kaepernick's actions reignited the firestorm sparked by Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf's protest 20 years earlier, raising critical questions about how and why athletes (especially minority athletes) who protest are perceived and the role of activism in sports.
| Mon, Feb 10 | 7:00AM to 11:00PM |
| Tue, Feb 11 | 7:00AM to 11:00PM |
| Wed, Feb 12 | 7:00AM to 11:00PM |
| Thu, Feb 13 | 7:00AM to 11:00PM |
| Fri, Feb 14 | 7:00AM to 10:00PM |
| Sat, Feb 15 | 7:00AM to 8:00PM |
| Sun, Feb 16 | 10:00AM to 11:00PM |
