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By Rickey Hampton, Editor and Founder of The African-American Athlete
Do you remember when LeBron James, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade stood up at the 2016 ESPY’s, and challenged athletes to stand up for what is right. They talked about addressing issues of violence, police brutality and injustice.
The NBA stars talked about the black athletes of the past, and how they were unafraid to speak out on issues of injustice. They talked about continuing a legacy of activism from black athletes and others that goes back to the days of Paul Robeson nearly 100 years ago. Chris Paul said this:
“..Generations ago, legends like Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, John Carlos and Tommie Smith, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brown, Billie Jean King, Arthur Ashe and countless others, they set a model for what athletes should stand for. So, we choose to follow in their footsteps.”
Well, these men are asking to step into some giant footsteps. And the case of Colin Kaepernick is a perfect example of how these superstars can stand behind their words.
Remember of the iconic picture of black sports stars from 1967 featuring Bill Russell, Jim Brown, Muhammad Ali,
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and other pro athletes from that era? All of those athletes were in the prime of their careers, during one of the most turbulent times in the history of America. Yet, they put their careers on the line to show their support for Ali, who refused to be inducted into the Army.
A very similar situation occurs today. Colin Kaepernick is being ‘whiteballed’ by the National Football League for his decision to kneel during the ‘Star Spangled Banner’.
It would be a powerful statement for the black athletes of today to come together, and speak out to the world about what is clearly an injustice. Certainly, James, Anthony, Wade and Paul have the power and prestige to do so, even though Kaepernick plays in the NFL. And, most definitely, established black stars should be at that meeting in support of Kaepernick. The black athlete is what has made the NFL the incredible success that it is.
I would like to see them come together in support of Kaepernick. The power James, one of the most famous athletes in the world today, along with other established superstars from the world of sports, could send a powerful message in support of Kaepernick.
However, we as every day people, have work to do too. If you feel strongly about Kaepernick’s cause, then you should not go to games, or support any company that does business with the NFL. That is especially so when you consider the NFL, and its broadcast partner, ESPN, allowed a racist, bigot Hank Williams Jr., to return to the airways, following his rants against President Barack Obama.
Let me be clear, I have nothing but respect for James, and many of today’s superstar athletes. Many of them have been giving of their time and talents to important causes throughout communities of color, and the underprivileged.
Nonetheless, I think they can do more.
More importantly, in the case of the ESPY speech, they have vowed to do more.
No NFL support for the first seven games, no tickets, no tv. To start as a show of support for the athletes and free speech. No one should be treated like this in America.
i’m in..
INDEPENDENCE DAY—YOU THINK KAPERNICK IS CELEBRATING HIS INDEPENDENCE?
Harold K. Bell is a pioneer in sports talk radio – it was a relatively new medium for black broadcasters in the 1970s. His first five (5) minutes of radio stardom was at the helm of two-time Emmy award winner, Petey Greenein 1967. In 1970, Bell found The Original “Inside Sports.” The title for the show was given to him by his wife Hattie over dinner one evening. The first show would air on W-O-O-K-AM in 1970. Its span included WYCB-AM, W-U-S-T-AM, WPFW FM and WKYS-FM. In 1975, Bell became the first black to host and produce a television sports special in prime time on WRC-TV 4, an NBC affiliate in DC. His special guest was The Greatest, Muhammad Ali. He has the copyrights to an interview collection that reads like a “Who’s Who” in sports. His commentaries and blogs spotlight the trials and tribulations of the black athlete and have become a trilogy of classic proportions. Prior to Bell’s Inside Sports format, subjects on racism in the front offices and on the playing fields of sports’ franchises in America were taboo. He was the first to play message music and host media round tables unheard of on sports talk radio. He challenged athletes for hard truths regardless of their stature. His interviews with superstar athletes from Muhammad Ali, Red Auerbach, Don King, Jim Brown, Dr. Harry Edwardsor his partner in crime, the late boxing historian Bert Randolph Sugar are classics. In 2007, Bell was referred to as “a little known Black History fact” by syndicated talk show host,Tom Joyner. Sportswriters like Jim Beathea and Dick Hellerof the Washington Star, Donald Huff, of the Washington Post, and Dave McKennaof the City Paper have all sang his praises. In addition, radio and television critic, William Taaffe of the Washington Post cited Bell for his pioneering contributions to sports talk radio and television. He said, “Inside Sports is a jewel of a program-easily the most provocative radio sports talk show in Washington.” Heller called him “The Godfather” of sports talk, the good kind.” Earl Lloyd, the first black to play in the NBA, was a guest on ESPN 980 radio with former Georgetown basketball coach, John Thompson. Mr. Lloyd was quoted saying, “Harold Bell may be controversial, but I have yet to hear anyone call him a liar.” His Original Inside Sports talk radio format can be heard and seen on radio and television sports talk show formats around the world. Historian and civil rights icon Dr. Harry Edwards said, “Harold your archives are valuable and should be given the broadest exposure, have you thought of offering disc of your programs to the new Smithsonian Museum of African American Culture & History (NMAAHC)? A wing of the museum will be dedicated to the struggle in sports and will be titled ‘A level playing field.’ Your work was a major force over the years in leveling the playing field, especially, in the terms in the struggle to define and project ‘our truth’ great job over the years and the timing is right for reprising that legacy now”. Harold K. Bell has also actively advocated for the rights of children his entire adult life. In 1965 after spending two years chasing his NFL dreams without any success, he returned home to Washington, DC. and was hired to work for the United Planning Organization. The organization hired three Neighborhood Workers for its self-help program. They were, Petey Greene, H. Rap Brown and Harold Bell. In 1968 he was caught in the middle of the riots that hit inner-cities all around this country after the shooting death of our Prince of Peace, the Rev. Martin Luther King. He was working as a Roving Leader (Youth Gang Task Force) for the Department of Recreation & Parks. Harold and co-worker Willie Wood (NFL Hall of Fame) walked arm in arm with the first modern day U. S. Marshall in-charge appointed by the President of the United States, Luke C. Moore. In December 1968 out the ashes the riots Harold and Hattie found their non-profit organization Kids In Trouble, from 1968-2013 they hosted forty-five straight Christmas toy parties for needy children in DC, Maryland and Virginia, without grants or loans. Thousands of children benefited. Today the NFL, NBA, MLB and the NHL have all copied his reach back programs to enhance the lives of inner-city children. The Bells have been honored at the White House by President Richard M. Nixon,cited in the Congressional Record by Lou Stokes (D-Ohio), Senator Bob Dole (R-Kan.) andEleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) for their work with at-risk children. In1980, Washingtonian Magazine named Harold Bell “Washingtonian of the Year” for being a one-man community action program. He was the first sports media personality ever honored by the magazine. His wife, Hattie, is the daughter of the late Dr. Charles H. Thomas, Jr. Dr. Thomas marched with Dr. King and was the President of the local chapter of the Orangeburg, SC NAACP. He was inducted into The Black South Carolina Hall of Fame in 2007. The benefactor of Kids In Trouble and Inside Sports reads like a Who’s Who in pro sports and sports talk media. Harold K. Bell is a Historian-Pioneer-Mentor-Hero.