Michael Jordan's New Chapter: From Silent Superstar to Advocate
Written By: Jackie Rae
I am not a Michael Jordan fan! Aside from the fact that he needed Scottie Pippen to win, but that is rarely talked about — he never spoke up when Black kids in the inner city were killing themselves over his shoes. Then, in 2016, as Black activists were fighting tooth and nail to raise awareness and bring an end to racial profiling, killing of unarmed Black people, and unnecessary force, Jordan donated $1 million to the Institute for Community-Police Relations and $1 million to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The optics may have been to appear neutral, but what the moment really needed was Kanye West on stage, snatching a mic and boldly stating that "Michale Jordan doesn't care about Black people."
At the very least, Jordan reaffirmed his "Republicans buy sneakers, too" statement after he declined his mother's request to do a PSA for Harvey Gantt, who was fighting for equality and running for office in North Carolina. That moment in 1990, followed by his double-sided donation in 2016, Jordan sent the message that he was never going to take a stance for Black people because doing so may impact his bottom line.
Given Jordan's background of growing up in Wilmington, North Carolina, at a time when the state was one of the headquarters Ku Klux Klan, with 10,000 members in the city, his difficulty in taking a strong stance against racism has been troubling. His town's school books, team jerseys, and even playground jungle gyms were supplied directly by the white supremacist group. In prominent sportswriter Roland Lazenby's biography, Michael Jordan: The Life (2014), Jordan recalled a time when a white classmate called him a n—-r as a teenager.
I would imagine that moment in 2016 caused people in Jordan's camp who viewed his actions or the lack thereof as either hurtful or problematic to begin to voice their concerns. After the double-sided 2016 fiasco, it would seem Jordan's eyes were opened, and he finally recognized the impact he could make in his community.
By 2020, a different Jordan emerged. Michale Jordan and the Jordan Brand pledged a $100 million donation over ten years to organizations fighting to end racial inequality. Nike and Jordan issued a joint statement that read:
Jordan Brand is more than one man. It has always been a family. We represent a proud family that has overcome obstacles, fought against discrimination in communities worldwide and that works every day to erase the stain of racism and the damage of injustice. The will, the work, the excellence the world has come to know is the result of one generation after another, pouring their dreams into the next.
Some were skeptical of this move. After all, Nike is a business juggernaut. Given the spending power of Black people in the United States, the last thing you want the overwhelming majority of us to do is turn in our Jordans for Puma, Adidas, or any other brand. Was this move genuine, or was it a marketing ploy?
The better question is, does it matter? Part of the donation included the Jordan Wings Program, which is focused on providing access to education, mentorship, and opportunity for Black youth facing the obstacles of systemic racism. While a deep dive into how the program has succeeded or failed is warranted — that is a different article. The point is, four years after attempting to slice through systemic racism in a way that didn't want to offend those who were operating in racism, Jordan took a stand.
In 2021, The Jordan brand donated up to $1 million. It distributed that donation to the NAACP, the Formerly Incarcerated and Convicted People and Families Movement (FICPFM), and the Black Voters Matter organization.
While I am still not, nor shall I ever be, a Michael Jordan fan, it is important to applaud his change in mindset. Jordan is a brand that transcends basketball. He is an icon across the globe. If he chooses to truly use his platform to make a difference for the next generation, who knows how he can impact the future?
Michael Jordan - Better Late than Never!