HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE PLIGHT OF THE BLACK MALE ATHLETE

Abstract

The effect of athletic participation on the graduation rate of Black male scholarship athletes was examined. Data are reviewed and comparisons are made of Whites versus Blacks at “elite” schools and at the average Division I institution. The data indicate that although Black athletes trail Whites in graduation rate across institutions and sports, Black athletes tend to graduate at a higher rate than do their Black peers at elite institutions and across Division I schools. Such findings conflict with the common belief that athletic participation has a negative impact on the academic success of Black males. Nonetheless, the Black-White differences remain problematic. It has become apparent that the issues involved go well beyond athletics and that sports, once again, appears to highlight and reflect larger societal problems.