Stars Once Avoided Politics Out of Caution. Those Days Are Over (Guest Column)

In 1990 the sports world’s biggest star, Michael Jordan, was asked to endorse Harvey Gantt, a Black candidate challenging the incumbent North Carolina senator, noted racist Jesse Helms. As he confirmed in the 2020 docuseries “The Last Dance,” Jordan chose not to engage, famously telling teammates, “Republicans buy sneakers, too.” Jordan might have gotten away […]