Register for your seat to attend and ask J ason a question.
\n\nThe first 50 attendees to arrive will re ceive a free copy of The Rise of the Black Quarter Back: What it Means for America \;on behalf of the DC Public Library Foundat ion.
\n\n\nFor reasonable \;accom modations\, please contact the Center for Accessibility at 202-727-2142 or DCPLaccess@dc.gov. For ASL or tactile interpretation\, please allow at le ast seven (7) days notice.
\n\nThe Rise of t he Black Quarter Back: What it Means for America
\n
A compulsively readable sports narrative by senior NFL writer for ESPN&rsquo\;s The Undef eated (now Andscape)\, Jason Reid\, chronicling both the history of Black players in the NFL\, such as Warren Moon\, and the recent careers of groun dbreaking Black quarterbacks\, including Colin Kaepernick.
\nIn Sept ember 2019\, ESPN's The Undefeated website (now Andscape) began a season-l ong series of articles on the emergence of Black quarterbacks in the NFL. The first article in the series was Jason Reid's enormously popular\, "Wel come to the Year of the Black Quarterback." The series culminated with an hour-long television program in February 2020\, hosted by Reid himself.&nb sp\;The Rise of the Black Quarterback: What It Means for America \;wil l expand on Reid's piece―as well as the entire series―and ch ronicle the shameful history of the treatment of Black players in the NFL and the breakout careers of a thrilling new generation of Black quarterbac ks. Intimate portraits of Colin Kaepernick\, Patrick Mahomes\, Lamar Jacks on\, and Kyler Murray feature prominently in the book\, as well as the car eers and legacy of beloved NFL players such as Doug Williams and trailblaz ing pioneers Marlin Briscoe and Eldridge Dickey. Reid delves deeply into t he culture war ignited by Kaepernick's peaceful protest that shone a light on systemic oppression and police brutality. Fascinating and timely\, thi s page-turning account will rivet fans of sports\, cultural commentary\, a nd Black history in America.
\n\nAbout the Author
\n
Jason Reid was named senior NFL writer for Andscape\, ESPN&rsquo\;s platform exploring th e intersections of sports\, race\, and culture\, in January 2016\, after s erving as an NFL columnist\, for ESPN.com for a year. He joined ESPN in Fe bruary 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 Re id&rsquo\;s NFL work includes &lsquo\;The Puzzling Plummet of RGIII&rsquo\ ;&mdash\;an in-depth look at how former Commanders quarterback Robert Grif fin III fell out of favor with the team\; and enterprise reporting around the NFL&rsquo\;s support of social justice organization in the wake of pla yers&rsquo\; protests\, and the ensuing discord among the players. In Apri l 2017\, Reid co-authored &lsquo\;The NFL&rsquo\;s Racial Divide&rsquo\;\, which won the 2018 NABJ Salute to Excellence Award in the sports digital media category
\n\n\n\nAbout the Modera tor
\n
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.
\nShe has been honored for her work with two national Edward R . Murrow Awards for breaking news anchor coverage\, two Virginia Associate d Press Awards\, and eight EMMY Awards.
\nOlabanji is an advocate fo r 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 Jou rnalists\, The Links\, Incorporated\, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority\, Inc orporated. \;
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