Sports play a unique role in American culture and act as sources of entertainment and community identity. Events that include sports are also a microcosm of society that simultaneously reflects and guides cultural and racial differences that are illuminated by the journey of the African American athlete. The media depictions of Black athletes as super-human, aggressive bodies that are products of poor, blighted, and dangerous neighborhoods have created a dominant humble beginnings narrative that stigmatizes Black athletes and marginalized neighborhoods. Such depictions create an imagined Black sense of place and space that travels with the athletes as they move from city to city for their professional careers. Grounded in Black Geographies, this research discusses the intersections of race, the media-framing of male athletes, and neighborhood stigma. It provides a new way in which to evaluate marginalized communities. This research also disrupts the dominant narrative by de-centralizing the Black body and offering variations of the lived experiences that were shared by 30 Black NFL players. Understanding alternate storylines creates new spatial imaginaries of marginalized Black communities and what is needed to improve their quality of life. The dissertation concludes with a consideration that scholars and journalists should highlight variations of the humble beginnings experience and share the stories of Black athletes who do not come from humble beginnings so it may be possible to deconstruct racial and geographic stigma.
