African American Icons of Sport: Triumph, Courage, and Excellence (Greenwood Icons)

This title offers an examination of African Americans in sports, from a variety of perspectives and through a lively range of rhetoric styles, and illuminates the history of highly successful and influential individuals, athletes and teams who have transcended mere celebrity to come to represent a given Zeitgeist to a sizable part of the world. It also explores the history and lives of complex, multi-layered personages and groups. Finally, it examines the extent to which modern mass media and popular culture have contributed greatly to the rise, and sometimes fall, of the these powerful symbols of athletic, individual, and group excellence. Cover......Page 1 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 8 List of Photos......Page 10 Series Foreword......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 14 Introduction......Page 18 Muhammad Ali......Page 24 Arthur Ashe......Page 36 Charles Barkley......Page 48 Barry Bonds......Page 58 Jim Brown......Page 72 Wilt Chamberlain......Page 84 George Foreman......Page 96 Althea Gibson......Page 106 The Harlem Globetrotters......Page 118 Derek Jeter......Page 130 Earvin “Magic” Johnson......Page 140 Jack Johnson......Page 152 Michael Jordan......Page 168 Florence Griffith Joyner......Page 180 Joe Louis......Page 190 Negro Baseball Leagues......Page 200 Shaquille O’Neal......Page 210 Jesse Owens......Page 222 Bill Pickett......Page 232 Eddie Robinson......Page 242 Wilma Rudolph......Page 254 Tommie Smith and John Carlos......Page 266 Venus and Serena Williams......Page 278 Tiger Woods......Page 290 Selected Bibliography......Page 302 About the Editor and Contributors......Page 310 Index......Page 316 This Volume Offers An Examination Of African Americans In Sports, From A Variety Of Perspectives. It Explores The History And Lives Of Complex, Multi-layered Personages And Groups. Also Examined Is The Extent To Which Modern Mass Media And Popular Culture Have Contributed Greatly To The Rise, And Sometimes Fall, Of These Powerful Symbols Of Athletic, Individual, And Group Excellence. Muhammad Ali -- Arthur Ashe -- Charles Barkley -- Barry Bonds -- Jim Brown -- Wilt Chamberlain -- George Foreman -- Althea Gibson -- The Harlem Globetrotters -- Derek Jeter -- Earvin Magic Johnson -- Jack Johnson -- Michael Jordan -- Florence Griffin Joyner -- Joe Louis -- Negro Baseball Leagues -- Shaquille O'neal -- Jessie Owens -- Bill Pickett -- Eddie Robinson -- Wilma Rudolph -- Tommie Smith And John Carlos -- Venus And Serena Williams -- Tiger Woods. Edited By Matthew C. Whitaker. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [279]-286) And Index. Muhammad Ali[a1] Arthur Ashe Charles Barkley Barry Bonds Jim Brown Wilt Chamberlain George Foreman Althea Gibson Harlem Globetrotters Derek Jeter Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jack Johnson Michael Jordan Florence Griffin Joyner Joe Louis Negro Baseball Leagues Shaquille O'Neal Jessie Owens Bill Pickett Eddie Robinson Wilma Rudolph Tommie Smith and John Carlos Venus and Serena Williams Tiger Woods.