Taking a Knee, Taking a Stand
African American Athletes and the Fight for Social Justice

By:Bob Schron / Foreword by: Devin McCourty

Celebrate the many who risked their careers to advance their rights.

Muhammad Ali refused to submit to the draft. Wilma Rudolph retired from her track and field career to campaign for civil rights. Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem to protest police violence against black bodies.Taking a Knee, Taking a Stand tells their stories and the stories of other prominent African American athletes whoput everything on the line to fight racial discrimination and promote social justice.

This moving and celebratory history by veteran sportswriter Bob Schron honors the essential, organic, and ongoing tradition of black protest in sports, placing legendary figures in the context of broader social movements.

The history of black athletes using their prominence to take principled stands is long and admirable. InTaking a Knee, Taking a Stand, Bob Schron provides a thoughtful and comprehensive look at that history.
Bob Costas,Emmy-award-winning broadcaster

At a time when African Americans in sports have been leaders in the quest for a more just and equitable nation, Bob Schron has written a fluent and knowledgeable history of their political activism over nearly a century. This book is a valuable addition to the smart sports fans bookshelf.
Samuel G. Freedman
Professor, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Author ofBreaking the Line: The Season in Black College Football
That Transformed the Sport and Changed the Course of Civil Rights.

Taking a Knee, Taking a Standis not just a book. Its a history lesson documenting the courageous path athletes from yesteryear to today have traveled in the name of social justice and racial equality. For more than a century, sports and politics have intersected, helping to shape this great country of ours. From Jesse Owens to Muhammad Ali to Colin Kaepernick and LeBron James, athletes have put their reputations and in some cases lives on the line to make a difference. Bob Schron does an excellent job detailing the impact of those social justice warriors, and why its still just as important today for athletes to take a stand, instead of just shutting up and dribbling.
Kyle Draper,NBC Sports

If you like this book, youll enjoy these:
The Spiritual Mandela
After Gandhi: 100 Years of Nonviolent Resistance
The Art of Protest

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Downloadables

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Author & Illustrator

Bob Schron, author

Bob Schron is an Associated Press sportswriter with decades of experience in national sports media. He is the coauthor of M.L. Carr’s autobiography,Don’t Be Denied; The Bird Era: A History of the Boston Celtics, 1978-1988;andTom Brady: Sudden Glory. He is also a recipient of the President’s award for sportswriting from the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Association.

Awards & Honors

• Coming soon!

Editorial Reviews

Library Journal

When NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt in protest during the national anthem, he set off a firestorm of yays and nays that still burns. He also reminded us of the long and honorable tradition of athlete-activists in the African American community, captured here by veteran sports writer Schron in a crisp, impassioned narrative that moves from the quiet heroism of Jesse Owens and Joe Louis through Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, and Olympic black power salutes to the Williams Sisters. Not just for sports fans; this is important history.

Details

Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-62354-537-6

E-book
ISBN: 978-1-63289-221-8 EPUB

Page count: 192
7 3/8x 9

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