A Clash of Race, Sport, Education and Business & Race Relations at PWIs More Generally

Shawn Leigh Alexander Discussion

Many have been following the events at the University of Missouri over the past few weeks. [If you have not a recent Washington Post piece will familiarize you with some of the events and discussions.]  Yesterday a group of black Mizzou football players announced that they would not participate football related activities until university president resigned or was removed from his position.

 

What will be the result of this incredible clash of race, sport, education and business?

What are the state race relations on predominately white institution [PWI] campuses? [State and private institutions are having clashes, look at the recent article about Yale Univerisity.]

What is the role of the PWI, and their athletic departments, in failing to foster better race relations or at least reacting to the concerns of students of color?

Revisiting the work of William Rhoden, and others, what should the role of the modern black athlete be on social issues?  Rhoden posited in 40 Million Dollar Slaves that black athlete’s willingness to argue for social and economic justice had diminished.  In recent years professional and collegiate athletes have spoken out on a number of racial, social and political issues.  Is there a change?  If so what has caused the change?

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The Univ. of Missouri is prominent in my research since the Univ. of Missouri Press publishes many neo-Confederate books and books by white supremacists. or in praise of them.

I decided to review my book database and see how many and which books by the Univ. of Missouri Press I own.

When it was announced that they were potentially closing in 2012 on the C19 listserv I stated that I hoped it would close.

At that time I decided to review my book database and see how many and which books by the Univ. of Missouri Press I owned.

At that time I owned 19 different books which the Univ. of Missouri Press had published from the 1990s to 2012. Not all of them necessarily relate to my research regarding the neo-Confederates, but 16 of the 19 did. In fact, I thought that since they are closing, I should check what else I should buy and ordered two more of their books for my research library.

I don't think that any other university press comes close.

So I am not surprised to read what is happening at the Univ. of Missouri.