There’s been a lot of discussion about the #WNBA and its involvement with the Warnock for Senate campaign (that’s headed to a runoff in January). Black women athletes have long doubled as activists and organizers in addition to playing their respective sports.

That concept has been long been understood, even if the sacrifices made are ignored: “At the time, they were not about to bathe a Black woman in glory. It would give us too much power, wouldn’t it?” - Wyomia Tyus, in her memoir re: her 1968 Olympic protests.

There’s Anne Moody, who I wrote about, who used basketball to earn a scholarship to college. Eventually, she began participating in sit-ins, and among other things, worked to register Black voters in Mississippi https://blacksportswoman.substack.com/p/anne-moody-activist-ball-player

Lurline Jones spent a week in jail after being arrested during protests of segregation while playing basketball at (what’s now) Morgan State. That wasn’t the end for her and protesting. She also traveled to Mississippi to register Black voters there before graduating.

Black women athletes also have the most to lose by simply standing up for themselves (and others - and they continue to do it!). They face racist and sexist stereotypes from outside of their sports and racism even within them.

I won’t go too deep on that topic – my next newsletter will tackle it and arrives on Dec. 5. Learn more about The Black Sportswoman here: http://join.theblacksportswoman.com