Kenneth L. Shropshire

In the following viewpoint, Kenneth L. Shropshire maintains that African-American athletes must take action and speak out against racism in sports. He contends that if these athletes join in a unified effort, racial inequality will more likely be reduced. However, Shropshire admits, many athletes are apathetic or are vocal only on issues such as individual salaries. Shropshire is the author of several sports books and a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. This viewpoint was excerpted from his book In Black and White: Race and Sports in America.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What are some actions a union could take to combat racism, according to the author?
2. Which African-American athletes does Shropshire note as having faced harassment?
3. In the author’s view, what is...