40 Million dollar slaves.
 

40 Million dollar slaves is a new book by William Rhoden it deal w/ how sports stardom brought black athletes wealth without progress and prosperity without freedom.The book is peppered w/ historical gems and did you knows..for instance I didn't know that Jackie Robinson first intergrated professional baseball in Canada signing w/ Montreal in 1945 the Dodgers then brought his contract in 1947. The books also have a chapter on how many of todays blk athletes would rather not rock the boat instead of speaking up against social injustice more like Micheal Jordan then Ali of Jim Brown.

I know of William Rhoden although I haven't read this new book. From what you've written, his premise is on point, however, with the stark difference in political/social activism of today's athletes vs. those of the 60s, 70s. Men like Curt Flood, who basically lost his baseball career in fighting for the right to be a free agent.

Jim Brown, probably the best NFL player in history, in the 60s, helped create the Negro Industrial Economic Union to assist black-owned businesses. Along with men like Wayne Embry, Bill Russell, Hank Aaron, they were really active in trying to take it to the next level, not just in athletic competition but in the community.

...but, hey, at least some of today's athletes make great shoe commerials. :rolleyes:

I try not to be too harsh on todays athletes (except those of the bling lifestyle). The kind of social activismin the 60's and early '70s was of a different necessity. The institutional racism needed to be attacked. Today's activism needs to be more subtle, nuanced, and focused. Its hard for a man making 40 million, being heroes to white kids, making commercials, etc, to complain about institutional racism. I was dissappointed in Jordan when he did not support Harvey Gantt for Senate, but then again, who are we to demand something of someone that they may not be capable of. Russell, Robinson, and Brown were extremely well educated and from integrated backgrounds, so they were perfect for their chosen protests.

There is more to this argument.....

Go on Doggy give us the rest of the argument...personally I always thought of Jordan as some what of a house ______________.

Ay yo. . .watch wut ya say bout his airness. :mad:

^^^Nah...I honestly felt the same way. I also thought that he was very well educated.

I too would like to hear the rest of the story tho.

Sadly, I never thought much of today's athletes being very political or outspoken for that matter-they're not going to bite the corporate hand that feeds them.