The Leadup

Growing up in Harlem, New York, Abdul-Jabbar was well aware of the racial injustices that black people faced from a young age, and was heavily influenced by Malcolm X’s philosophy of Black self-sufficiency and empowerment. Though he never met Malcolm X, he resonated with his teachings and believed in the importance of Black pride and resistance against oppression, even converting to Islam because of him later on in life.

Even within the world of sports, Abdul-Jabbar faced discrimination. His dominance on the court led to the NCAA banning the dunk shot in order to restrict his effectiveness, and such, this rule was widely referred to as the “Lew Alcindor Rule”. However, this rule also disproportionately affected Black athletes, who made up the majority of players who utilized the slam dunk. It led to Kareem believing that racism extended even into the realm of athletics, and that sports were far from the equal playing field that they were touted as.

As a whole, the late 1960s marked one of the most turbulent times in American history. The civil rights movement was deep in its fight for equal rights, and the new Black Power movement was gaining traction as a more radical response to racial injustice. And Black America, which had just lost its two biggest leaders in Dr. King and Malcolm X, was furious at the government that claimed to be theirs yet continued to treat them as second-class citizens. And now, Black athletes were being asked to go out and win accolades for a nation that didn't love them back.

The group that sought to address this problem was the OPHR. The Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR) was created by Dr. Harry Edwards to protest racism in sports and society. The OPHR sought to use the global platform of the Olympics to bring attention to racial injustice in the United States. It called for Black athletes to boycott the games unless demands such as hiring more Black coaches and ending segregation in sports were met, effectively calling for recognition by the Olympic committee and the United States government. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was one of the many individuals who joined the OPHR, alongside sporting legends Bill Russell, Muhammad Ali, and more.