Matthew Freitas

Sport and Society: An In-Depth Look at Activism in Athletics

Friday, April 12, 2019, 3:00 PM | Room 2


My Scholars Capstone is about the history of activism in sports within the United States since the early twentieth century. I will be investigating the prominence of activism by athletes and if this prominence has been changing overtime. I will be doing this is by examining different athletes that have made large contributions to the social scene. The athletes I will be examining are LeBron James, Serena Williams, and Lyle Thompson. They will each be providing great perspective to my project, as they all have different goals and experiences. LeBron James is a modern pinnacle of activism, and through his efforts, has become an important political adversary of US President Donald Trump. He has raised millions of dollars for charity and has been an advocate for equal rights for black people. Serena Williams continues to thrive at the highest level of her sport despite just having a daughter and is fighting to make sure the world will be a great place for her daughter to live. Finally, Lyle Thompson is a star in a non-mainstream sport, and is fighting a non-mainstream cause that relates to his cultural roots. For the essay, I will be writing about all of these people and their experiences in activism. I will also be speaking about the trends of social activism in terms of how prominent it has been over time. I am assuming that it has become more prominent in the twenty-first century, mainly because of the increased interconnectedness of the world. Social media has played a huge part in both increasing athletes' platforms and getting their thoughts out to the public.