CBC Joins NAACP Boycott of College Sports

In a powerful display of solidarity, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has officially joined the NAACP’s call for a boycott of athletic programs at public universities. This bold move, dubbed the “Out of Bounds” campaign, targets institutions that remain silent in the face of attacks on Black political power, particularly in Southern states.

An Unprecedented Response to Voting Rights Rollbacks

The boycott stems from the Supreme Court’s decision to gut the Voting Rights Act, which has led to subsequent efforts by Southern states to eliminate Black representation through racially gerrymandered congressional maps. U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., slammed states like Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida for employing what he called “Jim Crow-like, racially oppressive tactics.” He emphasized that this unprecedented attack on Black political representation demands an equally unprecedented response.

During a press conference on Capitol Hill, dozens of CBC members co-signed the NAACP’s boycott. The campaign urges Black athletes and fans to withdraw their financial support from public state universities within the NCAA Southeastern Conference. It also calls on aspiring college athletes to avoid attending any university in a Southern state that has not publicly condemned the wave of voter suppression tactics.

Silence is Complicity

CBC Chairwoman U.S. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, D-N.Y., stated that the success and influence of major athletic conferences are inseparable from the contributions of Black communities. She stressed that Black political representation is not a secondary issue but a defining moral moment for the nation. “The Congressional Black Caucus cannot support legislation benefiting major athletic institutions that continue to remain silent while Black voting rights and Black political power are being systematically dismantled across the South,” Clarke declared.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson explained that the boycott follows the success of previous campaigns, like the one against Target, and draws on historical precedents. He referenced the impact athletes have had in past civil rights movements, citing figures like Jim Brown, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Muhammad Ali. Johnson urged parents of young athletes to understand the power they hold and the potential impact of choosing not to play for state schools that deny representation.

Leveraging Athlete Power

U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., echoed the sentiment, calling for significant economic consequences for institutions that fail to speak out against racial injustice. She drew parallels to Colin Kaepernick’s protest, emphasizing a willingness to fight for justice by any means necessary. The CBC’s solidarity with the NAACP marks a significant escalation in the ongoing fight to protect Black voting rights.

• The CBC has joined the NAACP’s “Out of Bounds” campaign.
• The boycott targets public university sports programs in Southern states.
• It calls for athletes and fans to divest financially from these institutions.
• The campaign aims to pressure universities to speak out against voting rights rollbacks.
• It highlights the historical power of athletes in social justice movements.

Leader Jeffries concluded, “The silence from our institutions in moments of injustice carries consequences.” He urged American institutions to meet this moment with courage and conviction, stating, “History will remember who chose to stand for democracy and equal representation and who chose silence.”