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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Johnny Smith Johnny Smith, assistant professor in the School of History and Sociology (HSOC) at Georgia Institute of Technology, was quoted in the ABC News, February 16, article, “Black Athletes in 1980s, 90s Not Outspoken, But Not Silent.” The School of History and Sociology is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.
Excerpt:
By the 1980s, America finally publicly embraced the black athlete, looking past skin color to see athleticism and skill, rewarding stars with multimillion-dollar athletic contracts, movie deals, lucrative shoe endorsements and mansions in all-white enclaves. Who didn’t want to be like Mike? But those fortunate black athletes like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods did not, for the most part, use their celebrity to speak out … “It seems to me that we need to rethink how we define ‘activism’ since black athletes certainly were involved in various social causes during that era. Anecdotally, I think about them donating to various scholarship funds and participating in ‘say no to drugs” campaigns,’” said Johnny Smith, who is the Julius C. “Bud” Shaw Professor of Sports, Society, and Technology at Georgia Tech. “That’s certainly a form of activism. However, on the whole, the most prominent black male athletes were not confrontational or outspoken.”
For the full article, visit the ABC News website.
