Sports, like the arts, literature, and politics, have been a mirror of American society. And in sports the contradictions between democratic principles and racial discrimination have been particularly glaring because athletics have been considered a sanctum of sportsmanship and fair play.
Despite those ideals, in every avenue of sport, African Americans faced restrictions or were barred outright from participation because of the color of their skin.
Blacks first made their marks in individualized athletics such as boxing, but not without overcoming tremendous racial obstacles. In team sports, the overwhelming majority of African American athletes who competed prior to World War II (1939-1945) did so on all-black teams. Only a small number of white colleges and universities in the North allowed blacks to participate in their athletic programs.
Even then, a so-called gentlemen’s agreement was typically adhered to, under which those teams with black athletes on the roster would agree to leave them at home when they went to play an all-white team. Integrated teams and interracial sporting competitions were against the law in many Southern states until as late as the 1950s.
