Hi, this is Lindsay Graham, host of American Scandal.

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Thank you. and more. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. From Wondery, I'm Lindsay Graham, and this is American Scandal.

Music Lindsey Graham, and this his freedom to advance a cause he believed in.

He stood on the shoulders of men like Jackie Robinson, who broke the color line as the first African-American to play Major League Baseball. And Paul Robeson, who was most famous as a singer and actor, who was the color line as the first African American to play Major League Baseball,

and Paul Robeson, who was most famous as a singer and actor, but also played pro football.

Before Ali, they used their fame to fight against the pervasive racism around them,

and like Ali, they paid a price.

Being a social activist and a famous sports figure is a risk, especially

for black athletes. While some people celebrate sports figures who take political stands,

others criticize them as ungrateful or unpatriotic. In recent years, we've seen these divisions

play out over athletes who have taken a knee during the national anthem, supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.

Journalist Howard Bryant explores the history of this intersection between sports and black activism in his 2018 book, The Heritage, Black Athletes, a divided America, and the politics of patriotism.

Bryant is a senior writer for ESPN

and head of unscripted development for Metal Arc Media.

Our conversation is next.

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It's all I can think about.

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