Learning from the greats

by Michael Johnson

During my sporting career I knew as a Black American that I was treated differently by some people, but believed the Civil Rights Act that our parents worked so hard for had made Black people equal in America. It felt like we were equal, but in the last several years, along with many others Black Americans I realise we were only made to feel equal so we wouldn’t keep demanding true equality. Things have improved dramatically from the times of my parents, but we still don’t have true equality in America. As I’ve grown older, become a father, and as society has evolved, I’ve come to a greater realisation of institutionalised racism around the world and what discrimination can do to a person – their self-image, their trajectory in life, and even in extreme cases the tragic and lethal violence it can create. Recent events in my own country and beyond, and the movements that have sprung up as a response, have compelled me to take a more active role in using my profile to speak up to power and to call out wrong where I see it. And this is certainly nothing new, athletes have long been at the forefront of campaigning for change, in fact they have used their platforms throughout history to stand up for what is right. I stand in awe of what they have done, what they prioritised even at the risk of destroying their own careers. Even now, as an athlete I struggle to comprehend how they could make such sacrifices.

Uncovering stories