This is a throwback interview from 2017. Dr Darron Smith discusses non-LDS BYU Black athletes. He teaches at University of Memphis and is the author of “When Race, Religion, and Sport Collide.” He examines the honor code, graduation rate, and race relations at BYU. He compares their racial record with other famous Christian athletes, including Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin. We’ll also discuss Indian mascots in professional & college sports. Check out our conversation….

https://youtu.be/YZv_onL5Kp8

Don’t miss our other conversations about black Mormon History: https://gospeltangents.com/mormon_history/black-mormon-history/

transcript to follow

Copyright © 2025

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved

Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission

0:00 Overview
6:12 Statistics on Black Athletes at BYU
29:06 Challenges Faced by Black Athletes at BYU
30:59 Honor Code
31:31 Comparisons with Other Institutions
36:43 Graduation Rates/Systemic Issues
38:59 Unionization/Pay for College Athletes
47:09 Racism and Representation in Sports
52:52 Impact of Past Traumas
1:08:49 BYU’s Aspirations/Challenges in Joining the Big 12
1:12:58 Parallels Between Black Athletes and Gay Athletes
1:15:41 Black 14 of Wyoming
1:21:09 Racism and Institutionalized Discrimination
1:22:32 Empathy and Mindfulness in Addressing Racism

 

Copyright © 2025

Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved