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https://omeka.middlebury.edu/magazines/files/original/3b652d8f4b7fc3328870922aa712d2a6.jpg
71bda25305fcfd8c20e58f85ff0d3f1c
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Sports Illustrated, July 1, 1968 "The Black Athlete"
Subject
The topic of the resource
Black Athletes and Racial Commentary featured in Sports Illustrated in 1968.
Description
An account of the resource
Sports Illustrated from July 1, 1968 included featured content about Black athletes, called "The Black athlete: A Shameful Story." The July 1 issue was the first installment of a five-part series by Jack Olsen. Part 1 is titles "The Cruel Deception" and investigates the notion that sports is the most progressive national arena for positive race relations and opportunity for black youth. Olsen uncovers the many fallacies of this concept by exploring the realm collegiate athletics, and the social, academic, and cultural struggles that arise as black youth matriculate into PWI to play sports. To this end, Olsen interviews sociologists, black community leaders, coaches, ADs, and many athletes, themselves. Olsen editorializes, as well, arguing his point that the idea of racial harmony in sports is a myth. The essay covers racial tension, but is notably geared specifically towards white readers. The piece is an example of the ways Sports Illustrated used athletics as a vantage point from which to examine and discuss race with a white audience in the late 1960s. This collection includes Olsen's essay itself, as well as the advertisements that accompanied the piece.
Creator
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Katherine Brown
Source
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Sports Illustrated
Publisher
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Time Inc.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1963-1970
Format
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JPEG/PDF
Language
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English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Sports Magazine
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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"The Black Athlete" page 20, SI 7/1/1968
Subject
The topic of the resource
black athlete, Elvin Hayes, Don Smith, Iowa State
Description
An account of the resource
Don Smith’s account of his youth finished with his recollection of being beaten by police officers, smoking marijuana, and spending time in jail. Olsen then switches back into his primary reporting on Smith’s tenure at Iowa State, but this page focuses on the hidden pain, loneliness, and alienation of the lauded black athlete. Olsen again pokes holes in the fantasy of sport as a positive transformative space for black youth, quoting Smith describing how his white teammates never socialized with him, and how he was not enrolled in classes he wanted to take. His interpretation of his purpose at Iowa State was to “produce” and “pass just enough to get by.” Olsen notes that Smith’s “transition from promising rookie to nationally known star had not appreciably improved his off-court campus life.”
This first case study is followed by Olsen’s next example, that of Elvin Hayes, star basketball player for the University of Houston. Hayes is introduced as a quiet, but respectable and reserved athlete, who stays out of boycotts but does not tolerate racist reporters. Olsen defines Hayes’ demeanor primarily by his relation to white men-- “the smile of Elvin Hayes does not appear the instant a white man says hello. It must be earned.” This sort of dignity appeals to the white readership, and aligns Olsen with their perspective. Olsen is also sure to describe the physical presence of Hayes, emphasizing his “coffee” skin and impressive height. The last thing Olsen describes is Hayes’ dominance as a basketball player, calling him “the hero of Houston.”
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Katherine Brown
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Sports Illustrated, July 1, 1968
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Time Inc.