Episode 21: "The No Freedom League (NFL)" - A Conversation About Black Athletes and Protest w/ Dr. Arthur Banton

Summary: The recent NFL national anthem policy has sparked a number of conversations about the status and treatment of black athletes in professional sports. Today, we are joined by Dr. Arthur Banton, an assistant professor of History at Tennessee Tech University and scholar of media and culture, to discuss the state and role of the black athlete in current and historical protests. We begin by discussing the history of black protest in athletics (20:40) and how the current atmosphere of professional sports shapes athletes’ willingness to engage in social commentary and activism (24:50). We then have a conversation about the NFL kneeling-ban (29:50) and how the NFL’s response compares to the response of other professional leagues (35:22)—especially the NBA (36:22). We then turn our attention to the NCAA and whether college athletes should be paid (46:30) and black women in professional sports (53:57). We close by discussing why this topic matters, where black athletes fit in the larger conversations about inequality, whether these protests have an impact, and what we should pay attention to as the issue continues to unfold (59:28-1:12:10).   Other Topics Include: 00:30 - Catch up with Ty and Daphne 02:25 - BhD “Oh Lawd” News Segment 14:48 - Overview of the Topic 17:10 - Learn more about Dr. Arthur Banton 1:16:08 - Ty and Daphne reflect on the interview   Resources: Dr. Arthur Banton’s Website - https://www.urbanculturescholar.com/ National Anthem Protests by Black Athletes Have a Long History - https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/25/sports/national-anthem-protests-black-athletes.html  Last Week Tonight NCAA Segment - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX8BXH3SJn0