Sociology Mind 2012. Vol.2, No.3, 261-271 Published Online July 2012 in SciRes (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/sm) http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/sm.2012.23035 Personal Troubles and Public Issues: A Sociological Imagination of Black Athletes’ Experiences at Predominantly White Institutions in the United States Joseph N. Cooper Department of Kinesiology, International Center for Sport Management, University of Georgia, Athens, USA Email:
[email protected] Received April 28th, 2012; revised May 28th, 2012; accepted June 7th, 2012 The purpose of this paper is to provide a socio-historical examination of Black athletes’ experiences at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) and connect these experiences with the broader social issues facing Blacks in the United States (US). Historically, the prevalence of racism within the US has contrib- uted to the oppression, discrimination, and limited upward mobility of Blacks. In the US, racist beliefs have been institutionalized formally through federal and state laws as well as informally through social practices and norms. Using Mills’ (1959) sociological imagination as a conceptual framework, the author provides a critical examination of the connection between the personal biographies of Black athletes at PWIs and the historical public issues facing Blacks in the US as documented in scholarly and relevant lit- eratures. Understanding the connection between biographies and history allows for a more holistic under- standing of the root causes of these personal troubles and public issues. Common themes in the literature that will be highlighted and addressed include experiences with racial discrimination/social isolation, academic neglect, economic deprivation, and limited leadership opportunities. Keywords: Black Athletes; Sociological Imagination; Racism; Predominantly White Institutions Introduction 2009; Edwards, 1973b; Sage, 1998; Sailes, 2010; Wiggins & Miller, 2003).