Sport, Race, Activism, and Social Change : The Impact of Dr. Harry Edward's Scholarship and Service

This book chronicles the mammoth contributions of Dr. Harry Edwards as a social activist, scholar, and public servant over the span of three decades. Empowered by the Civil Rights Movement and the constructs of Black Power, Dr. Harry Edwards emerged as a general in the fight for social justice, equality and human rights. As the architect of the Olympic Project for Human Rights, Dr. Edwards' activism targeted racial apartheid in the US and in South Africa, as well as the racial injustices occurring within the sphere of sport. His scholarship includes seminal pieces for scholars interested in race, sport, human rights, and the discipline of sport sociology.Before Dr. Edwards, little scholarly attention was paid to the specific role of the black athlete on predominately white campuses or universities. Few research perspectives were developed to understand the invisibility of blacks in power positions within sport. Patterns of exploitation, lack of positive assimilation, and the valuing of participation while devaluing education were critical points of Edwards' philosophy. This interdisciplinary text creates opportunities for undergraduate and graduate level students to Socratically question the role of sport in our society.