Essay about Black Athletes in Society - 2262 Words

Introduction In the collegiate world of sports, basketball has become an increasingly recognized sport among African Americans, predominantly males. The hope of any young basketball player is that one day a scout will come and recruit them into stardom The question that presents itself as a problem to the lucky few who are chosen to go professional, is whether or not an education is more important than a million dollar shoe deal, â€Å"The NCAAs (1998) annual six-year study reported that only 33% of Black male basketball players graduated, (Chronicle of Higher Education, 1999). Individually, basketball reported the lowest graduation rate in all divisions,† (Robinson, 2004:1). Basketball players have become so idolized in the eyes of young†¦show more content†¦One month, the family is struggling to pay for groceries and rent, the next they are all living in mansion, driving expensive cars, and eating at expensive restaurants. In White households, the expectancy to go through many s tages of school and earn various degrees in order to achieve this level of living is more standard. â€Å"The percentage of associates degrees attained increased by a small amount over bachelors degrees attained by Blacks in the academic year of 2000-2001. In all of the masters degrees acquired, Blacks were accountable for 8%, and a small portion of first professional and doctoral degrees, only accounting for 7% and 5% of those. Whites were said to have obtained the highest number of degrees,† (Hoffman, 2204: 1). It is our goal to use our research to prove this point. The role of the family value system in influencing Black male athletes appears to be less important than that of White male athletes. Although the Black community makes up 12% of the collegiate population, only 3% of those have a Ph.D. and only 6.7% have a Bachelors degree, (Hu, 2004:1). The value system in African American families appears to be focused more on immediate gratification, rather than education, which seems to be a bigger value in White families. Basketball players White vs. Black have some goals to meeting in order to become successful in the sport of basketball. There are some influences that make some of the White and BlackShow MoreRelatedHow The Veil And Double Consciousness Theory1590 Words   |  7 Pageswe can follow the works of social theorist W.E.B. Dubois and the effect they may have on black athletes. Dubois introduced the world to sociological theories such as the veil and double consciousness. In this analysis, I will provide examples of how the Veil and Double Consciousness theories contribute to today’s society by observing professional black athletes. Dubois understood what it meant to be a black man having to identify with two mindsets. 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