"To be viewed as a person first" - Michael Jordan once explained how Muhammad Ali inspired him to combat racism
Michael Jordan had a legendary career. A six-time NBA champion and Finals MVP, he is widely considered the greatest player to ever play the game.
However, it was not only basketball for Jordan. The NBA legend and Hall of Famer was part of an era where there was a lot of racism.
Speaking with Australian TV back in 1993, Michael Jordan revealed that his ultimate goal was for other people to view him as a person and that he took inspiration from Muhammad Ali:
"He (Mohamed Ali) crossed many barriers, many lines. He was a pioneer in the sense to see these people viewed as people instead of their race or color or whatever, and I think this is my ultimate goal, to be viewed as a person first, and even though my race is black, that I am a person just like you and any other person.
"So, if you see me like that, I think we make a big step towards curing racism in this world."
Michael Jordan experienced racism throughout his life
Michael Jordan grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina, at a time when the state was the headquarters for the second wave of the Ku Klux Klan. With 10,000 members, it had more than the rest of the Southern states combined.
His town’s school books, team jerseys and even playground jungle gyms were supplied directly by the white supremacist group. Jordan had to deal with racist incidents at school, as Roland Lazenby writes in his biography, "Michael Jordan: The Life (2014)."
"As he described, frequent racist encounters grew Jordan’s animosity toward white people. “I considered myself a racist at that time. Basically, I was against all white people.""
The Hall of Famer recounted his battle to cope with racism in his young adulthood while rising out of his own resulting racial prejudice and anger. He never stopped battling racism, even when he was one of the most famous people in the world.
Even after his retirement, he spoke his mind and offered help to people that were dealing with racism. In 2016, Jordan wrote a one-page letter for The Undefeated:
“I was raised by parents who taught me to love and respect people regardless of their race or background, so I am saddened and frustrated by the divisive rhetoric and racial tensions that seem to be getting worse as of late.
"I know this country is better than that, and I can no longer stay silent. We need to find solutions that ensure people of color receive fair and equal treatment AND that police officers – who put their lives on the line every day to protect us all – are respected and supported."
In 2020, as protests continued across the nation in the wake of George Floyd’s death, Michael Jordan announced a $100 million donation spread over 10 years. This was given to organizations dedicated to “ensuring racial equality, social justice and greater access to education.”
The donation came after Jordan, not known for his political activity, released a statement condemning Floyd’s killing and the state of race relations in the United States (via NBA.com):
“I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry,” the statement began. “I see and feel everyone’s pain, outrage and frustration. I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. We have had enough.”
Michael Jordan will always be active when it comes to battling racism. He recently told the Charlotte Observer:
“We have encountered racism to be somewhat acceptable in certain circles. We’ve got to understand at an early age (that can’t be tolerated).”
Players and executives in the NBA like Kyrie Irving, Marcus Smart, George Hill and Jaylen Brown are voicing their concerns over racism. However, it remains to be seen when and how the situation will improve.