Race and Sport: A Jayhawk Symposium

KU sport management doctoral student Chris Brown has experienced life as a student of color on predominantly white university campuses. Throughout his time as a Jayhawk, he has worked to be a source of support for other Black students. In talking with students in classes and other settings, he found that many of them want to discuss and learn about race and issues relating to it in this country, but don’t know where to go for those conversations.

Inspired to provide that forum, he organized an online symposium called Beyond the Classroom: A Conversation on Race and Sport, which was held on August 3-5, 2020. This special event and ones like it demonstrate the thought leadership and collaborative spirit that are hallmarks of our online master’s in sport management* faculty and students.

Three veterans of college teams focus on the impact that race has had and continues to have on their lives in sport. Their discussion considers ways in which their coaches and older teammates addressed race with them, their own leadership roles in sport, the relationship that race has to their professional lives, and more.

Featured in this panel:

Lydia Adeosun
Assistant Director of Compliance
Mountain West Conference

Wayne Black
Doctoral Student
University of Kansas

Niko Roberts
Coordinator of Men's Basketball Championships
NCAA

It’s easy to think that sport activism began in 2016, when San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid and quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat and later knelt, in protest against police brutality and racism, during the national anthem before their team's preseason games.¹ In reality, however, their actions follow a long history of politics and protest in sport.

Featured in this presentation:

Dr. Shawn Alexander
Professor and Chairperson of African and African-American Studies
Director of the Langston Hughes Center
University of Kansas

Sarah Tackett
Doctoral Student
University of Kansas

Faculty and administrators in college athletics start by discussing how the events of recent months have affected them, their work, and outlooks. They go on to consider their experiences regarding race since their student days, and how those experiences shape and inspire their professional lives.

Featured in this panel:

Niya Blair Hackworth
Director of Inclusion
NCAA

Paul Pierce II
Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance
University of Kansas

Terry Prentice
Associate Athletics Director
Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
University of Kansas

Dr. Khirey Walker
Assistant Professor of Sport Administration
Ball State University

The author of Breaking Through: John B. McLendon, Basketball Legend and Civil Rights Pioneer traces the history of this remarkable KU alum and two-time Hall of Fame athlete and coach, and his contributions to the sport of basketball and the Civil Rights movement.

Presented by:

Dr. Milton Katz
ProfessorVice President of Academic Affairs
Dean of Faculty
Kansas City Art Institute

This presentation focuses on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)—their history, present-day realities, importance to the United States, and the challenges they face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It concludes with a consideration of notable HBCU alumni and the connections between HBCUs and athletics.

Presented by:

Dr. Bernie Kish
Lecturer in Sport Management
University of Kansas

With the online master’s in sport management from KU, a university synonymous with high-profile athletics, you can inspire the next generations of athletes, coaches, and fans to carry on a strong legacy of inclusion and respect for all, in the world of sport and beyond. Learn more about the curriculum.

*This program is a Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.) degree in health, sport management, and exercise science with an emphasis in sport management.