Black Masculinity Under Attack Again

Here is my analysis on Shedeur Sanders-the son of N.F.L. legend Deion 'Primetime' Sanders. The downgrade of Shedeur Sanders from the first round to the fifth round by the N.F.L. is a teachable moment in the U.S.. His mistreatment by the N.F.L is bigger than sports and his famous father. This is about racism and the fear of Black masculinity.

Let’s be clear, strong and confident Black masculinity is intimidating to White society and to all its collaborators. One aspect of racism is the emasculation of the Black man. In history, many Black men were killed in America, and murdered around the world, just because of some fictitious and fabricated lie to justify the eradication of Black masculinity.

I totally understand these things.

Being a strong and confident Black man myself, I have experienced mistreatment based upon my Black masculinity in my endeavors in White America. The system of racism quickly worked to emasculate my Black manhood.

But once I obtained a thorough knowledge of self, my confidence grew exponentially. White society, and nothing in it, no longer intimidated me (i.e., the trappings of the inner-city, matriculating through predominantly White universities, incorporating Black history into the World and American history curriculums to properly educate students on the contributions Black people made to human civilization without the permission of the power structure system, etc). Consequently, my strong and confident Black masculinity began intimidating many people, especially White people. And it still does for me.

And still does for many Black Men.

For example, a Black man named Colin kaepernick felt the sting of N.F.L racism early in his young career. Although a superstar quarterback with the San Francisco Forty-Niners, who by the way almost won a Super Bowl for that team against the Baltimore Ravens during the 2012 season, was white-balled from professional football at the height of talent. His “crime” was too much exertion of his Black masculinity that expressed his outrage over the centuries of social injustice inflicted upon African people in America and police violence plaguing the African American community by silently taking a knee during America’s national anthem at every game. When mainstream America caught up to his protests, Kaepernick’s Black assertive masculine activism intimidated too many White people. After 2019, Colin Kaepernick was no longer allowed to play in the N.F.L..

As for Shedeur Sanders, his Black masculinity intimated the N.F.L. despite his college superstar status.

By every measurable standard, Shedeur Sanders did everything “right.” Let’s look at the evidence that made him an elite college quarterback: eighth in Heisman voting, winner of the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the nations best QB, record-setter for passing yards at both Jackson State and Colorado University, maintained a 3.9 grade point average at the University of Colorado 2024, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year 2024, First-Team All-Big 12, first in Colorado single-season passing yards (4,134), first in Colorado single-season completion percentage (74.0%), first in Colorado single-season touchdown-to-interception ratio (9-to-1), first in Colorado single-season passing touchdowns (37), first in Colorado single-season completions (353), first in Colorado single-game passing yards (510), first in Colorado single-game completion percentage with 30 or 40 attempts (80.9%), first in Jackson State single-season touchdown passes (40), first in Jackson State single-season completions (344), first in Jackson State single-season completion percentage (70.5), and second in Jackson State single-season passing yards (3,752). And the list of success goes on and on with the extraordinary talent of Shedeur Sanders on and off the football field.

But because Shedeur Sanders’ Black masculinity was too brash and too confident for some white people in America to accept, the powerful N.F.L. decided to teach him a lesson by “humbling' him. Shedeur Sanders’ Black manhood was emasculated in front of the world to witness, especially for his father’s eyes to see, and for the masses of African (Black people).

Although the N.F.L.’s employees are predominantly Black, the people that own and operate the organization are predominantly White. Millions of dollars are put in the pockets of White people by Black employees. The N.F.L. is the most popular sport in America because of its Black players. But racism is still problematic in today’s N.F.L. And strong and confident Black masculinity is still problematic for professional football.

In his article called-The Awakening of Colin Kaepernick, John Branch, a New Your Times reporter, writes in 2017, “the N.F.L. and its 32 franchise owners, none of them African-American, may be the most conservative fraternity of leaders in major American sports. They bathe their games in overtly patriotic ceremonies and discourage players, mostly hidden behind masks and uniforms of armor, from individual acts of showmanship. At least seven donated $1 million or more to Trump’s inaugural committee, far more than any other sport’s owners." (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/0... )

Which brings me to this point about Shedeur Sanders and the plight of Black masculinity in football.

Unfortunately, racism in the N.F.L. reared its ugly head to break and redefine Sheduer Sanders's Black masculinity to make him more submissive and dependent to White society by forcing his fall from first round big money payoff draft prospect to a basic low fifth round draft choice with the Cleveland Browns. Thus controlling him and his destiny. And sending a message to all Black players that your confident and independent masculinity has no room in the N.F.L..

But despite these conditions in the N.F.L, stay strong young Shedeur Sanders, you are an original Black man-the father of civilization. You come from a long line of strong and confident African men (Black men) who defined their Black masculinity based on their own terms (i.e., Akhenaten, Bilal Ibn Rabah, Mansa Musa, Benjamin Banneker, Dr W.E.B. Du Bois, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, Prince Hall, Nat Turner, Booker T Washington, Noble Drew Ali, Master Fard Muhammad, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Medgar Evers, Kwame Ture, Patrice Lumumba, Malcolm X, Adam Clayton Powell, Huey P. Newton, Amiri Baraka, Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Dr. Khalid Abdul Muhammad, Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop, Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Dr. Yosef Ben Jochannan, Dr. Greg Carr, Dr Umar Johnson, Mayor Ras Baraka, etc). Your greatness will shine through in all your endeavors despite racism trying to control and redefine your Black masculinity to make it fit inside the box of whiteness!

-Bashir Muhammad Ptah Akinyele is a community activist, a member of the Muslim community in New Jersey, and a member of ASCAC (the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations). He is also a history and Africana Studies (Black Studies ) teacher at Weequahic High School in Newark, NJ.

As Salaamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuh (Arabic for May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you)! Hotep (an ancient African Kemetic / Egyptian word for Peace)! P.E.A.C.E. (Proper Education Always Corrects Errors)!