Perspectives S35/Ep57 The social, cultural and political impact of LeBron James

LeBron James is the protagonist in two very American tales: one, a success story the nation loves because it shows its benevolence; the other, the latest installment in an ongoing chronicle of racial hatred. He’s the poor boy from a “broken” home in a poverty-stricken neighborhood who makes good. He’s also the poor Black boy who makes good, then at the apex of his career finds that the N-word has been spray-painted across the gate to his home. Despite his unmatched skill, success and popularity, James has never been fully free from the entrenched racism and anti-blackness in American life. His story, of both success and adversity, represents a larger story of how conflicts and tensions off the court always make it into the game and how athletes of color reckon with their ascent to fame while still living in a deeply racist society. In THE BOOK OF JAMES: The Power, Politics, and Passion of LeBron, my guest Valerie Babb offers a cultural commentary on anti-blackness in America using the NBA all-star, gold medal Olympian, four-time NBA champion, and four-time finals MVP as a sort of case study.