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21 UALR L. Rev. 881 (1998-1999)
Racism in Athletics: Subtle Yet Persistent

handle is hein.journals/ualr21 and id is 891 raw text is: RACISM IN ATHLETICS: SUBTLE YET PERSISTENT Timothy Davis* I. INTRODUCTION In 1995, 1 published an article entitled The Myth of the Superspade: The Persistence of Racism in College Athletics.' The article maintained that racism has been an enduring and central feature of intercollegiate athletics. It proposed that during the early years of college sports, racism manifested in overtly discriminatory conduct such as the formal and informal rules that either precluded or severely limited African-Americans' participation in sports at predominately white colleges and universities.2 The article also contended that following World War H, overt acts of discrimination against African- Americans gradually were replaced by subtle forms of racism in intercolle- giate athletics.' According to the article, this aversive or unconscious racism is fueled in large measure by many of the same stereotypes and derogatory images, such as those that attribute the success of black athletes to innate physical skills rather than hard work and determination, that underlie overt discrimination against blacks.4 The article posited, however, that despite its more subtle form, unconscious or aversive racism harms the interests of African-Americans in college sports in at least two broad ways: (i) denial of unqualified participation in the college sport infrastructure; and (ii) marginalization of the academic, social, and psychological well-being of the African-American student-athlete.5 Specific illustrations of harms that fall within these broad categories include limited access for African-Americans to coaching and other administrative positions in college sports6 and the intellectual marginalization of African-American student-athletes.7 The article concluded with the observation that because of the subtle nature of aversive racism, traditional anti-discrimination laws are of dubious value in ameliorat- ing its adverse impact on African-Americans in sports.' After the article's publication, I pondered whether I had overstated the extent of racism in college athletics. My reconsideration was triggered by events that focused on the achievements of African-Americans in overcoming * Professor, Wake Forest University School ofLaw. The author gratefully acknowledges the research assistance of Ahmad Washington. 1. 22 FoRDHAM URB. L. J. 615 (1995). 2. See id. at 624-30. 3. See id. at 633-39. 4. See id. 5. Id. at 653. 6. See id. at 657. 7. See Davis, supra note 1, at 668-69. 8. See Davis, supra note 1, at 682.

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