"The Heritage: Black Athletes, A Divided America, and the Politics of Patriotism featuring Howard Bryant, ESPN Senior Writer and NPR Correspondent, author of Shut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston and The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron
It may make people uncomfortable, but Im pleased that Howard Bryant has chosen to tell the story of our heritage, and even more pleased that there are still ballplayers today who are willing to stand up for what they think is right. Henry Aaron, Mayor League Baseball Hall of Famer
Howard Bryant will discuss his new book The Heritage which is the story of the rise, fall, and fervent return of the athlete-activist. Through deep research & many interviews with some of sports best- known stars " including Colin Kaepernick, David Ortiz, Chris Webber " and others, Bryant will detail the collision of post-9/11 sports in America and the politically engaged post-Ferguson Black athlete. Hell contextualize their protests by tracing the history of political-social activism of Black athletes, in the face of the racist insistence that Black human beings can only be performative bodies. With Trump and NFL owners seeking to crush protest and punish players who simply will not tolerate them imposing their political brand on them and depriving them of their right to self-determination Howard's book could not be more timely.