ESPN’s weeklong “Content of Character” event celebrated the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and honored the 25th anniversary of the King Day holiday with special programming, vignettes and features.
The celebration culminated in a town hall meeting at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Friday, Jan. 14.
The two-hour discussion about race relations in sports was broadcast live and hosted by “Good Morning America’s” Robin Roberts and “Outside the Line’s” Bob Ley. Panelists included movie director and avid sports fan Spike Lee, ESPN commentator Michael Wilbon, ESPN NBA analyst Jalen Rose, Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari, current WNBA player and world champion track and field star Marion Jones and former University of Miami football coach Randy Shannon.
Sports fans around the globe had the opportunity to weigh in on the discussion with comments and questions via the Web.
“At ESPN we go beyond showcasing games and highlights and reporting the news — we delve into the larger issues of sports in society,” said John Skipper, ESPN executive vice president of content. “Dr. King fought for equality for all but spoke passionately of the plight of African Americans, and it’s appropiate we celebrate his life by examining how his legacy live[s] on — or struggles to — in the realm of athletics.”
Dr. King’s legacy was not just about peace and civil rights, it was also about social change and how as a community we owe it to ourselves to be the best individuals we can be, no matter what occupation we hold. Always remember that you must know where you’ve been in order to know where you’re going.
–christa e. jackson
