Abstracts
Abstract
This conceptual essay explores the contentious discourse surrounding Coach Prime Deion Sanders’ decision to leave Jackson State University (JSU), a historically Black college and university (HBCU), for the University of Colorado (CU), a predominantly white institution (PWI). Using King’s principle of Black historical contention and Glaude’s concept of nation language, we analyze Black male sports media commentary to examine how Sanders’ move is perceived through divergent Black separatist and integrationist lenses. Employing principles of Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis (CDA) as an analytic framework, this study interrogates the tensions between personal autonomy and collective responsibility within Black liberation narratives. Our findings reveal how Sanders’ decision ignited polarized views, underscoring complex intersections of Black male identity and roles in public discourse. This work contributes to interdisciplinary discussions on Black representation and challenges oversimplified narratives, advocating for a nuanced understanding of Black men’s pathways to liberation in mainstream spaces.
Keywords:
- Coach Prime,
- Deion Sanders,
- Black males,
- citizenship,
- media literacy,
- Black historical consciousness,
- critical discourse analysis