Caretakers of resistance: an intergenerational analysis of Black sportswomen in the United States

Black sportswomen have faced intersectional marginalization since their initial involvement dating back to the late nineteenth century. Much of the extant research on activism, sport and race has centered on the experiences and contributions of Black men. Consequently, the herstories of Black sportswomen have largely been overlooked. The purpose of this manuscript is to highlight and synthesize Black sportswomen’s intergenerational resistance efforts through sport in the United States (U.S.). Using sport activism and resistance typologies, the current manuscript documents and analyzes the genealogy of Black sportswomen’s contributions to social justice efforts in and through sport within the U.S. context. We conclude that the centering of Black sportswomen in social justice actions offers nuanced insights into how this group historically and contemporarily provides distinct contributions to multi-level changes in society.