The MSPS Martin Luther King, Jr. Series for the Study of Race presents:
Playing with Fire: Race and Sport in American Culture
Playing with Fire examines the intersection of sports and social inequity related specifically to race in American life. A four-part discussion series occurring on four consecutive Wednesdays from January 25 through February 15, the series will consist of informal conversations with prominent former and current athletes, coaches, university athletic directors, and scholars and analysts. Each discussion will be held at Legends Nightclub on the south side of Notre Dame’s campus. The series is open to the public.
Players
Wednesday, January 25
Legends, 7:30 p.m.
Raghib “Rocket” Ismail –
Former Notre Dame All-American and professional football star. One of CollegeFootballNews.com’s “Top 100 Greatest College Football Players of All-Time.”
Dwight “Doc” Gooden –
Former Major League pitcher, National League Rookie of the Year, National League Cy Young Award Winner.
Briann January –
Former Arizona State University star and current WNBA star for the Indiana Fever.
Coaches
Wednesday, February 1
Legends, 7:30 p.m.
Coach Jay Alexander –
Head coach of the Eastern Michigan University Eagles baseball team.
Bill Lewis –
Former head football coach at Wyoming, East Carolina, and Georgia Tech, and former assistant head coach for the Miami Dolphins and for the University of Notre Dame.
Alan Turner –
Three-time All-American at Indiana University and U.S. National track team standout. Current Assistant Coach of Sprints and Hurdles at Notre Dame.
Athletic Directors
Wednesday, February 8
Legends, 7:30 p.m.
Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree –
Director of Athletics at North Carolina Central University.
Kathy Beauregard –
Director of Athletics at Western Michigan University.
Scholars and Analysts
Wednesday, February 15
Legends, 7:30 p.m.
Pam Oliver –
Fox Sports reporter and analyst. Former All-American track star at Florida A&M.
Dr. Richard Lapchick –
Director of both the National Consortium for Academics and Sports and the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports.
Dr. Earl Smith –
Professor of Sociology and Director of American Ethnic Studies Program at Wake Forest University.