The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) will publish its inaugural sports photography book, “Game Changers: Sports Photographs from the National Museum of African American History and Culture,” on Sept. 17.

  

This publication marks the beginning of the museum’s Double Exposure series, featuring images from the Johnson Publishing Company Archive, which is co-owned by the museum and the Getty Research Institute.

The 84-page softcover book includes 57 black-and-white and 11 color photographs that explore the evolution of African American sports from the early 20th century to today. It showcases significant moments and athletes who have made impactful contributions to sports and society.

“The Black athlete has long served as a symbol of excellence, a figure of change, and an image of the otherwise impossible,” wrote Kevin Young, Andrew W. Mellon Director of NMAAHC, in the foreword to the book. “We soar when they do, we root for them even as we doubt; we win even when they lose, as long as the attempt proves as noble as the victory. More than 20 of the photographs in this book, spanning almost 40 years, come from the Johnson Publishing Company Archive, remarkable for its ability to get inside athletes’ homes and experiences, documenting ordinary moments in often extraordinary lives.”

“Game Changers” is organized into thematic sections.

The book begins by examining African American sports culture amidst segregation and the role of historically Black colleges and universities. It then moves on to athletes who integrated sports and used their influence for social change, highlighting figures such as Jackie Robinson and Althea Gibson. 

The book continues by focusing on the rise of athlete activists and their efforts for equality, featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Debra Kay Thomas. The final section reflects on progress in African American sports and athletes’ involvement in social justice movements. Images of iconic moments in sports history include Jack Johnson vs. Jim Jeffries during the 1910 “Fight of the Century,” Jackie Robinsonstealing home in 1952 and Colin Kaepernick taking a knee in 2016. Also presented are the more personal moments—Larry Doby teaching his son how to hold a bat, Wilt Chamberlain in class at the University of Kansas, Wilma Rudolph standing outside her charitable foundation office, Muhammad Ali in conversation with Fannie Lou Hamer and a young Venus Williams smiling after a practice session.

 Eric Reid and Colin Kaepernick kneel during the national anthem, San Diego, Sept. 1, 2016.
 Photo from Collection of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, photo Michael Zagar  

Featured photographers in the book include Ernest C. Withers, Roderick J. Lyons, and Walter Iooss Jr. Additionally, it includes essays by Michèle Gates Moresi, Laura Coyle and other contributors such as Damion L. Thomas and David K. Wiggins.

“Game Changers,” is supported by the Earl W. and Amanda Stafford Center for African American Media Arts and funded by the NMAAHC’s Sport Leadership Council. For more information, visit nmaahc.si.edu/publications.