× Close
Jonathan Howe has focused much of his research on understanding the experiences of Black student-athletes in predominantly white spaces at historically white institutions and Division I college athletics. His most recent study, “Self-Presentation and Black Male Athletes in Historically White Institutions,” was recently published in the journal. Journal of Sociology of Sport. Credit: Temple University
On September 16, the University of Colorado football team won 3-0 and was ranked No. 19 in the Associated Press poll of the top 25 football teams. Under coach Deion Sanders, the Buffaloes were enjoying one of their best starts in recent memory, fully embracing the identity of a roster comprised of more than 75% Black athletes.
At the same time, some critics were calling for the team to fail, others saying the team deserved it, and others accusing the coach of teaching his players arrogance.
Jonathan Howe, an assistant professor at Temple University’s School of Sports, Tourism and Hospitality Management, can attest that this is often the reality for Black athletes at Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) universities.
Howe has focused much of his research on understanding the experiences of black student-athletes in predominantly white spaces at historically white institutions and Division I college athletics. His most recent study, “Self-Presentation and Black Male Athletes in Historically White Institutions,” was recently published in the journal. Journal of Sociology of Sportone of the first studies examining how black college athletes present themselves at Division I historically white institutions.
“I wanted to be able to provide an outlet for them to tell their experiences of how they navigated historically white-dominated institutions, where there isn’t a lot of research on Black athletes,” Howe said. “When you are at a predominantly white institution, it is often easy to know who the athletes on campus are as nearly half of the Black population is typically on scholarship or on some sort of sports team. This study amplifies the voices of those athletes and really explain what they are exposed to.”
Howe’s study consisted of 16 participants from various Division I college sports across the United States and included a mix of students from different levels of competition. Athletes from top FBS organizations and FCS schools were included, and a number of different sports were represented. Data were collected through interviews, voice memos, and tweets from participants’ Twitter profiles.
Some of the key findings of the study include the following.
- Black athletes often changed the way they presented themselves in a predominantly white environment to avoid feeding biased assumptions. For example, participants often dress appropriately for class to avoid the “stupid” stereotype.
- Black athletes don’t share their personal stories with coaches or trainers because they don’t want to appear vulnerable to having that information used against them.
- While black athletes often change the way they present themselves, that doesn’t mean they’re not authentic. Instead, they are often just protecting themselves from potential emotional hurt or criticism.
The criticism that the Colorado Buffaloes football program has faced after its early season success speaks to exactly why so many black athletes are changing their self-presentation.
Another key finding in Howe’s study was that an athlete’s experience often depended on the school they attended and the sport they played. In the past, research has only focused primarily on football and basketball, but this study took a broader approach.
“I wanted to be able to have a comprehensive study here because self-presentation varies greatly depending on the sport the athlete plays,” Howe said. “One of the participants was a swimmer, and he was one of two black swimmers on the team. So his experiences were very different to the way he had to act around his team and even during competition, like the vast majority of everyone else. “The team was white. “It’s very different from a traditional football or basketball team where the majority of the athletes are black.”
The study also found that in many cases, athletes are reluctant to approach a white faculty member and make a request that may ultimately feed into some of the stereotypes surrounding college athletes. For example, athletes are often eager to tell their professor that they have to miss class because of a game. This concern is further amplified if they have to request an extension for an assignment due to their sport.
One of the study’s most important findings is that faculty need to start treating college athletes the way they treat all students, Howe said.
“Just like we do with other students, we need to see the potential in college athletes, and we need to talk about ways we can maximize that potential,” Howe said. “This could be talking to them after class, meeting with them over coffee or holding office hours with them, where we talk about ways we can maximize their potential. We have those discussions with students all the time, but why not Do we do that? “Are we having those discussions with black college athletes? “This is the question we really need to ask ourselves here in academia.”
more information:
Jonathan E. Howe, Self-presentation and Black College Athletes at Historically White Institutions, Journal of Sociology of Sport (2023). doi: 10.1123/ssj.2022-0108
A recent study has shed light on the unique challenges faced by black college athletes as they navigate their way through the world of collegiate sports. The study reveals that these athletes often feel the need to alter the way they present themselves in order to avoid biases and stereotypes. This significant finding not only highlights the pervasive impact of racism in the sporting world, but also underscores the measures that black athletes are forced to take in order to level the playing field. The study’s insights are crucial for understanding the complex experiences of black athletes and for driving towards a more inclusive and equitable sporting environment.