From Slaveships to Scholarships

About the Book

In an era when black athletes are commonly compared to the African slaves, Dr. Pinckney attempts to draw a connection to William Rhoden’s “Forty Million Dollar Slaves” and Harry Edward’s earlier work about the black athletes’ integration and segregation issues. Furthermore, this book is an attempt to chronicle the past and current history of blacks in sports. This book reads like a hybrid book—part history, part sociology, and part current issues. Dr. Pinckney captures the rise and slow decline of segregation in college and professional athletics. Dr. Pinckney examines how social and political forces imposed policies of racism, and explains the social forces that eventually forced blacks and historical black colleges and universities to accept second class–segregated competition. By some accounts five hundred years ago, our African ancestors were running from the slave catcher and slave ships to avoid slavery; however, today the descendants of slaves are still running. In fact, they are running, jumping, shooting baskets, and catching odd-shaped balls for their masters. Sporting events such as track and field, football, and basketball are mainly dominated by blacks. On any given Saturday afternoon at majority-white institutions, the black athlete can be found entertaining not only their immediate white master, but their white masters in terms of the disproportionate number of white fans, including faculty, staff, and college administrators. This in itself has predated far too many black athletes to slavery and the conditions of modern-day slavery at the hand of athletics. Truly, sports in America today as we know it has psychologically damaged the black athlete.

About the Author

Dr. Charles Pinckney is a faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Livingstone College. He was appointed to the position of NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative in 2007. He is a former member of the NCAA Division II Legislative Committee and NCAA FARA Fellow. He has worked extensively to improve the academic success rates of student-athletes. He is currently the President of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Faculty Athletic Representative Association, where he is a champion academic success. The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association is recognized as a conference that serves Historical Black Colleges and Universities. The conference is a crown jewel within college sports. Its annual basketball tournament generates national exposure with media and major corporations. Over the past 10 years, the CIAA has generated over $325 million in economic impact for Charlotte, N.C. Dr. Pinckney devoted special attention to the slaves and life on the southern plantations. He further explores the changing social attitudes and the sociocultural factors associated with sporting competition that turned the tide and allowed for the recruitment of black athlete and hiring of a few black coaches. This book also takes a close look at the academic problem in intercollegiate athletics and financial issues facing Historical Black Colleges and Universities. Dr. Pinckney skillfully weaves existing arguments and documentation about the black gay athlete, the role black women played in the integration of sports not only as athletes, but as sportscasters. Dr. Pinckney also includes a chapter devoted to three pioneers who broke racial barriers and open the doors other blacks to enter. His emphasizes also took into account the conscious effects of racism and discrimination both in the past and present. Dr. Pinckney has taught the following courses: Sports Psychology, Psychology of the Black Experience, Introduction to Hip-Hop Culture and Global Hip-Hop Culture.