COCC history professor Murray Godfrey discusses the relationship between sports, protest, and civil rights in American history.

Many spectators look to sports as an escape from the world, a time to forget controversies in society. However, sports have often reflected society's tensions and movements, reflecting both the conflicts present in the country, but also its triumphs. In many instances, athletes have been on the forefront of societal change, pressing society to change with them.