{"product_id":"it-was-always-a-choice-picking-up-the-baton-of-athlete-activism-hardcover","title":"It Was Always a Choice: Picking Up the Baton of Athlete Activism - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eDavid Steele\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe recent flashpoint of Colin Kaepernick taking a knee renews a long tradition of athlete-activists speaking out against racism, injustice, and oppression. Like Kaepernick, Jackie Robinson, Paul Robeson, Muhammad Ali, Bill Russell, Tommie Smith, and John Carlos--among many others, of all races, male and female, pro and amateur--all made the choice to take a side to command public awareness and attention rather than \"shut up and play,\" as O. J. Simpson, Michael Jordan, and Tiger Woods did. Using their celebrity to demand change, these activists inspired fans but faced great personal and professional risks in doing so. \u003ci\u003eIt Was Always a Choice \u003c\/i\u003etraces the history and impact of these decisive moments throughout the history of U.S. sports.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDavid Steele identifies the resonances and antecedents throughout the twentieth century of the choices faced by athletes in the post-Kaepernick era, including the advance of athletes' political organizing in the era of activism following the death of George Floyd. He shows which athletes chose silence instead of action--\"dropping the baton,\" as it were--in the movement to end racial inequities and violence against Black Americans. The examples of courageous athletes multiply as LeBron James, Megan Rapinoe and the activist-athletes of the NBA, WNBA, and NFL remain committed to fighting daily and vibrantly for social change.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDavid Steele\u003c\/b\u003e has been a professional sports journalist for more than 35 years. He has written for the \u003ci\u003eSporting News\u003c\/i\u003e, AOL, the \u003ci\u003eBaltimore\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eSun\u003c\/i\u003e, the \u003ci\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eNewsday\u003c\/i\u003e, and has contributed to ESPN's \u003ci\u003eThe Undefeated\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e and the NAACP's \u003ci\u003eThe Crisis\u003c\/i\u003e magazine. He is the co-author of \u003ci\u003eSilent Gesture: The Autobiography of Tommie Smith\u003c\/i\u003e (Temple) and of \u003ci\u003eFour Generations of Color\u003c\/i\u003e, the autobiography of pioneering baseball scout and sports agent Miles McAfee. He has won writing awards from the National Association of Black Journalists, the Association of Black Media Workers, the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Society of Professional Journalists. A graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park, he serves on the advisory board for the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism at his alma mater.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 200\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.8 x 8.4 x 5.6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e July 08, 2022\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51766431383840,"sku":"9781439921739","price":23.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0974\/9764\/5344\/files\/155147cf60e73ef04f4c6af15d4d27b6.webp?v=1780292574","url":"https:\/\/ebocreations.com\/products\/it-was-always-a-choice-picking-up-the-baton-of-athlete-activism-hardcover","provider":"The E-Book Oasis LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}