By Mark F. Gray, Special to the AFRO Since the rise of “wokeness,” when it comes to gender diversity in high places, the doors to sports management opportunities have begun opening for women to ascend to leadership positions. Baby steps have been followed by giant leaps where the wand of “Black girl magic” has led […]
Category: National Sports
Posted inSports
NCAA women’s tournament features 12 Black female coaches
By Doug Feinberg, AP Basketball Writer Dawn Staley has a sheepish grin, which turns into a smile after a quick glance at the Greensboro Region of the women’s NCAA Tournament. There is sense of pride that exudes from the South Carolina basketball coach when she sees people who look like her, doing what she does […]
Posted inNEWS
Not all Blacks are the same—Serena blasts Times for photo mixup
By AFRO Staff Another day, another Black person misidentified as another—and not even a world-famous athlete is immune. Tennis icon Serena Williams put the New York Times on blast recently after it published a story about her accompanied by a photo of her sister, Venus Williams. “No matter how far we come, we get reminded […]
Posted inSports
Judge approves fix to payout formula used in NFL concussion deal
By MARYCLAIRE DALE, Associated Press News Black retired football players who were denied payments for dementia in the NFL’s $1 billion concussion settlement can seek to be retested or have their claims rescored. On March 4, the NFL finalized a new plan to eliminate racial bias in the testing and payout formula. Outrage ensued over […]
Posted inCollege
Study: Percentage of Black college coaches remains low
By Steve Reed, AP Sports Writer The lack of Black head coaches in college sports remains problematic, according to a diversity study for racial and gender hiring practices. The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida released its annual report on March 3, showing the representation of Black […]
Posted inSports
Goodell, civil rights leaders discuss diversity in NFL hiring
By The Atlanta Voice (NNPA Newswire) – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and a few team owners and executives met Feb. 17 with civil rights leaders, who urged the league to make drastic changes to its hiring practices to improve diversity in leadership positions. Goodell was joined on the video call by Pittsburgh Steelers president Art […]
Posted inNational Sports
The Moore Report: Rube Foster and Pete Hill: The hidden father figures of Black baseball
By Ralph E. Moore, Jr. The Negro Baseball Leagues produced two of the greatest athletes and business leaders this country has ever known. Consider the stories of Andrew Bishop “Rube” Foster and John Preston “Pete” Hill. Few Little Leaguers or their grandparents know of these men- but they paved the way for Jackie Robinson’s break […]
Posted inBUSINESS
Q&A with NCAA Champion of Diversity and Inclusion Jen Fry
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, Report for America Corps Member, msayles@afro.com Jen Fry is the CEO of JenFryTalks, a social justice education company that uses conversation to educate and empower those within athletics through an anti-racist lens on subjects of race, inclusion, intersectionality, diversity and equity. Fry transitioned into the diversity, equity and inclusion […]
Posted inSports
CIAA Tournament Highlights HBCU Excellence
By Stephanie Harper, Special to the AFRO Baltimore City bid farewell to Black History Month in high fashion this year, with a slew of events related to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) tournament occurring at the Royal Farms Arena in Downtown Baltimore. The event brought an influx of Black dollars to area hotels, restaurants […]
Posted inCollege
Lincoln, Fayetteville State win titles motivated by loss
By Mark F. Gray, Special to the AFRO After waiting through a virtual pandemic cancellation in 2021, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) brought Black college basketball’s biggest party to Charm City and there was history made in both the men’s and women’s tournaments. With the taste of a championship game loss to Winston Salem […]
Posted inBaltimore News
A Baltimore all-female golf club’s fight for desegregation
By Megan SaylesAFRO Business WriterReport for America Corps Membermsayles@afro.com The Pitch and Putt Golf Club is the second oldest African-American female golf organization in the United States, and yet, many are unaware of its historical significance. Originally a co-ed golf club known as the Pitch and Putters, it was born in Baltimore City in 1938 […]
Posted inSports
Erin Jackson of US 1st Black woman to win speedskating gold
By PAUL NEWBERRY, AP National Writer BEIJING (AP) — Erin Jackson has never viewed herself as some sort of trailblazer. She just likes to skate really, really fast, whether it’s on wheels or blades. Yet the 29-year-old from balmy Ocala, Florida knew this moment was special, her chance to really make an impact on the […]