During the 2016 Summer Olympics, African American athletes Simone Biles, Simone Manuel, Michelle Carter, and Ashley Johnson made history by performing extraordinarily well in sports that white athletes typically dominated (gymnastics, swimming, shot put, and water polo, respectively). Commentators remarked with excitement that these athletes were “firsts” in their respective sports and named all the ways in which they were exceptional. This course will examine the historical reasons why these sportspersons were extraordinary. For African Americans, anti-black racism, sexism, and exclusion from leisure spaces (e.g., parks, gymnasiums, playgrounds, and swimming pools) hindered full participation and mastery in sports and recreational programs. In the twentieth century, what one did, or was able to do, in one’s spare time became more than merely personal choice, but battles over women’s rights, civil rights, respectability politics, citizenship, and upward mobility. Using historical essays, newspapers, photography, documentary film, and podcasts, we will explore how certain leisure activities and sports became racialized and gendered in the twentieth century.

This is a first-year seminar—an opportunity for students to critically examine a topic and become familiar with the expectations of college-level intellectual engagement. To these ends, the course will use several formats to enable students to gain their intellectual footing, including presentations, short writing assignments, active class discussion, and a take-home final exam.

Intended Audience:

First-year students