This book takes a hard look at historical and contemporary efforts to control sports participation and compensation for black athletes in amateur sports in general, and in big-time college sports programs. The book begins with background on the history of amateur athletics in America, including the forced separation of black and white athletes.

Amateur athletes and the American way -- Creation of the amateur athlete in America -- Racial segregation and amateur athletics -- Rise of the black male athlete at predominantly white colleges and universities -- Commodification of black bodies -- Current controversies : an analysis of the Northwestern and O'Bannon cases -- Pay to play : the case for compensation -- Rules for transforming amateur athletics.