1. In “Race, Power, and American Sports,” (Links to an external site.) Dave Zirin argues that sport provides avenues for both enslavement and liberation. Discuss this in the context of your personal experiences in sport. How has sport contributed positively or negatively to your identity, particularly in terms of race/ethnicity, class, gender, disability, sexuality, age, etc.?
2. The documentary covers polarizing sports figures, such as Muhammad Ali, who were heavily involved in politics and spoke out against issues of racism. To what extent do sport stars in 2020 continue this heritage of social action? Which current social issues are championed or ignored by todays athletes?
3. Americans are often taught a sanitized version of racial desegregation in sports, as if racism ended the moment Jackie Robinson donned a Dodgers’ uniform. After watching “A Long Way From Home,” (Links to an external site.) what did you learn about the history of racism in American sport? Why do you think Americans often ignore or cover-up our horrific past (and present) of discrimination and hatred?
