This is an interesting mini-biography of a lot of Black athletes though American history. I knew very few of the names, since I don't follow sports much, but of course some of the athletes mentioned are household names and I would be surprised to find anyone in America who hadn't heard of them. Since I am not a sports fan, the reason I picked this one up was because of the race relations & racial justice aspect of it. This history did provide a lot of context for me about sports, and how it has been—both obviously and subtly—another area where segregation and privilege has hindered Black people from succeeding. ( )

From the Plantation to the Playing Field
Review of the Audible Original audiobook (February 2020)

This was an excellent overview of famous African American athletes and included several names and life stories which were entirely new to me starting with the first topic which was about boxer Tom Molineaux (1784-1818), a former slave who earned his freedom through his prizefighting skills.

Lecturer Moore covers the famous names of history such as Jack Johnson, Satchel Paige, Joe Louis, Jessie Owens, Jackie Robinson and many others into the current day with the gradual evolution of the African American athlete into a social activist which has became ever more known through modern media. It was a bit of a shock to be reminded about how beloved footballer O.J. Simpson was in his heyday when he was a pitch man for various services and products such as Hertz Rent-a-Car. It was moving to be reminded of Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics, which was probably the most prominent display of athletes making a symbolic statement about civil rights before Colin Kaepernick's NFL protests in recent years.

African American Athletes Who Made History was originally released in February 2020 and was also one of ten free Audible Originals for members in July 2020. It is available to everyone for a standard price. ( )