Athleticism
The myth of an unnatural but innate talent in athletics among African-Americans, often attributed to an imagined “slave gene”, is of relatively recent origin. Its roots lie in the supposed “law of compensation” and Social Darwinist theories - theories which state that a lack of intelligence or “civilization” among African-Americans is compensated by physical prowess. This myth emerged to justify continued white supremacy in the face of Black success in professional sports after the ending of color barriers - seen in baseball in 1947, basketball in 1950, and golf in 1961.
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