Role of the Activist Athlete Throughout History:
It’s the 1960’s, a time of societal and political upheaval. Mass protests turn to violence as police clash with protesters over issues like civil rights, women's suffrage, anti-war, students rights, and a lot more. Also during this time, national sports leagues gain a ton of popularity as the burgeoning middle class can now do more things than work all day. Less children work in the coal mines as child labor policies allow children to go to school and play sports. Because of this and broadcasting technology like the TV becoming a common household item, more people than ever witnessed Tommy Smith and John Carlos raise their fist in the iconic black power salute during the 1968 olympics. Protesting the violent racism prevalent in American society at the time, this action shocked the nation, leading to the immediate suspension of Smith and Carlos from the Olympics, and debates that would last for months on whether their action was courageous or disrespectful to America. This era in the 1960’s - 1970’s, when great athletes became more popular than ever, marks the beginning of what’s called the activist athlete.
The era of the activist athlete is characterized by protests and upheaval not just in the US, like with the Civil Rights movement, but also violence throughout the rest of the world. While Che Guevara led a bloody revolution in Cuba, 10,000 miles away, Ho Chi Minh attempted to unite Vietnam, leading to many US casualties. Another famous athlete, maybe the greatest boxer of all time, shared many views with the growing anti-war sentiment among US citizens. A talented wordsmith, Muhammad Ali in his famous court speech said “why should I go to Vietnam? I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong”. Not just men but women athletes spoke up as well. Billie Jean King, the great tennis champion, spoke up for equal rights and pay for both men and women in the growing sport of tennis.
However, as the US grows industrially and sports become more popular, athletes have the possibility to become millionaires, something unheard of just a few decades ago. Take an up-and-coming shoe company and mix it with a young version of possibly the best basketball player of all time, and you get the multi-billion dollar Nike Jordans. Michael Jordan is a prime example of the shift from the activist athlete to the corporate athlete. Instead of focusing on political issues at the time, Jordan focused on perfecting his craft, in order to spread his brand across the world. Another corporate athlete, one of if not the best golfer of all time, Tiger Woods. Corporate athletes typically don’t involve themselves too much in politics, for the sake of keeping controversy out of their career. Instead, these athletes support causes like cancer, or educating kids, things that won’t cause any controversy. This type of athlete is being seen more and more as people focus more on perfecting their craft and making money.
So is the activist athlete dead now? Actually, we’re seeing a new rise in this type again 50 years later. More recent athletes are advocating for global issues, like Colin Kappernick taking the knee, LeBron James openly endorsing Obama for presidency, or famed Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton advocating for black rights. The return of the activist athlete could predict a shift in the relationship between sports and politics for this coming generation.
