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The Rise of the Black Quarterback with Jason Reid

Author Talk

The MLK Library is excited to host an author talk with sports writer Jason Reid featuring his book "The Rise of the Black Quarter Back: What it means for America" to kick off the football season.

Register for your seat to attend and ask Jason a question.

The first 50 attendees to arrive will receive a free copy of The Rise of the Black Quarter Back: What it Means for America on behalf of the DC Public Library Foundation.

For reasonable accommodations, please contact the Center for Accessibility at 202-727-2142 or DCPLaccess@dc.gov. For ASL or tactile interpretation, please allow at least seven (7) days notice.

The Rise of the Black Quarter Back: What it Means for America

A compulsively readable sports narrative by senior NFL writer for ESPN’s The Undefeated (now Andscape), Jason Reid, chronicling both the history of Black players in the NFL, such as Warren Moon, and the recent careers of groundbreaking Black quarterbacks, including Colin Kaepernick.

In September 2019, ESPN's The Undefeated website (now Andscape) began a season-long series of articles on the emergence of Black quarterbacks in the NFL. The first article in the series was Jason Reid's enormously popular, "Welcome to the Year of the Black Quarterback." The series culminated with an hour-long television program in February 2020, hosted by Reid himself. The Rise of the Black Quarterback: What It Means for America will expand on Reid's piece―as well as the entire series―and chronicle the shameful history of the treatment of Black players in the NFL and the breakout careers of a thrilling new generation of Black quarterbacks. Intimate portraits of Colin Kaepernick, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Kyler Murray feature prominently in the book, as well as the careers and legacy of beloved NFL players such as Doug Williams and trailblazing pioneers Marlin Briscoe and Eldridge Dickey. Reid delves deeply into the culture war ignited by Kaepernick's peaceful protest that shone a light on systemic oppression and police brutality. Fascinating and timely, this page-turning account will rivet fans of sports, cultural commentary, and Black history in America.

About the Author

Jason Reid was named senior NFL writer for Andscape, ESPN’s platform exploring the intersections of sports, race, and culture, in January 2016, after serving as an NFL columnist, for ESPN.com for a year. He joined ESPN in February 2015 as an NFL columnist and his work appeared on the NFL pages of ESPN.com. Prior to joining ESPN, Reid covered the Los Angeles Dodgers for the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Commanders for the Washington Post and was a general sports columnist for the Post. At Andscape, some of Reid’s NFL work includes ‘The Puzzling Plummet of RGIII’—an in-depth look at how former Commanders quarterback Robert Griffin III fell out of favor with the team; and enterprise reporting around the NFL’s support of social justice organization in the wake of players’ protests, and the ensuing discord among the players. In April 2017, Reid co-authored ‘The NFL’s Racial Divide’, which won the 2018 NABJ Salute to Excellence Award in the sports digital media category

About the Moderator

A native of Fairfax County, Jummy Olabanji has spent most of her life in Virginia, graduating from Westfield High School in Chantilly and Virginia Tech. She earned a Master's degree in Communication and Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University.

Olabanji started her journalism career as an intern for NBC4. She has also worked for stations in Charlottesville, Norfolk, and New York City.

She has been honored for her work with two national Edward R. Murrow Awards for breaking news anchor coverage, two Virginia Associated Press Awards, and eight EMMY Awards.

Olabanji is an advocate for organ donation and sits on the Board of Directors of the National Kidney Foundation. She is also a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, The Links, Incorporated, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. 

The DC Public Library Foundation partners with the DC Public Library to enhance Washington, DC’s public libraries, bringing private philanthropy together with government support to ensure that our libraries deliver the highest quality of service to the District’s residents. With the help of many generous people, the Foundation provides educational programs for children and youth, workforce development training, cultural events, and collection enhancements for DC’s libraries.

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