Life Stories of Black Male and Female Professionals: An Inquiry into the Salience of Race and Sports

Abstract

This research examined 57 self-authored life stories to discern the extent to which race and sports contributed to the life structures of Black professional males and females. The vast majority of participants did not mention their awareness of being Black or desires to enhance the condition of their racial group. There were also no significant gender differences in how much and in what ways they discussed their racial identity. Black men utilized sports for personal achievement, self-reflection, and learning significantly more often than Black women. Additionally, males were somewhat more likely than females to mention both themes. Overall, the findings suggest further research is needed to distinguish between simple racial classification and the salience of race for elite young Black professionals. Furthermore, the results indicate that physical activity may be a powerful connecter for male learning, achievement, and awareness.

Keywords

black professionals gender life stories race sports

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