THE LONG, DEFIANT HISTORY OF ACTIVISM AMONG BLACK ATHLETES
"It was spectacular," the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James said to a reporter in 2014. "I loved it. I'm looking for one." What could the hoops legend and multimillionaire possibly have wanted that he didn't already own? Simple: a black T-shirt. Specifically, a black T-shirt with the phrase "I can't breathe" printed across the front. James had earlier seen Derrick Rose, then of the Chicago Bulls, wearing that shirt. In recent years, its message has become a rallying cry against police violence: In July of 2014, Eric Garner, an unarmed black man, died on Staten Island, New York, after police officers wrestled him into a deadly chokehold. According to a cell phone video, Garner's last words, which he repeated nearly a dozen times, were: "I can't breathe."
Comments
Post a Comment