From Inferior to Superior: Reversing the Stereotype About East African Runners (1954-1966)
Abstract
This article documents and analyzes the historical shift that occurred from 1954 to 1966 in a stereotype affecting Black athletes (African or of African descent) competing in long-distance running. The aim is to understand how athletes, initially considered unfit for this discipline, came to be regarded as unbeatable. This change illustrates a disconnect between the persistence of racial prejudice regarding the physical otherness of Black people and the shift in the content of the underlying stereotype from inferiority to its complete opposite: superiority.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Sports
Gender
and Society
Caribbean history
culture
and politics
American Sports and Literature
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Appartenances & Altérités
- Publisher
- OpenEdition
- Volume
- 8
- Publication date
- 1 January 2026
- Language
- EN