---
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title: "Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete"
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# Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete

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Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete [Rhoden, William C.] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete

Review: The Paradox of the "Slave Athletic Celebrity" - Rhoden's aim in this finely written and very readable screed is to explore the African American star athlete's paradoxical dilemma: On one hand, he is worshipped for his athletic prowess and is lavished with millions of dollars. On the other hand, he is beholden to white team owners, white league administrators, and as such is limited to the role of a super-paid lackey. Some reviewers object to the slavery analogy and the exodus from the plantation to the Promised Land that is heavily used in Rhoden's argument. But Rhoden is correct to point out that the slavery is both spiritual and power-based. Spiritual because too many African American athletes, Rhoden charges, are so busy micromanaging their careers that they have no sense of the broader context, of African American history (one star athlete was shocked with disbelief when he discovered that blacks were once banned from Major League Baseball). Power-based because too many blacks are relegated to "black" roles and forget the larger mission of making more opportunities for blacks in positions of privilege. Whether or not you agree with Rhoden's analogy, I would argue that the book is nevertheless very readable and entertaining, giving us powerful narratives of how black men, starting with the emancipated slave fighter Tom Molineaux, left America to fight the English champion Tom Cribb and showed whites that blacks' athletic performance defied stereotypes about being dense, ignorant, maladroit, etc. By studying Molineaux, Ali, and other African American greats, Rhoden shows how black athletes who see themselves as symbols of black power help forge the way for other black athletes. On a personal note, Rhoden, an African American, explains in his own life growing up in Chigaco in the 1950s and 1960s, that sports are a great avenue for learning about race and American history. I am no exception. As a child, I loved Hank Aaron and one day as I read about the way he was bullied and denied white restaurants and hotels, I got a bitter taste of what this country was like for people of color and contemplated the hideous color divide. Sports is a powerful metaphorical arena for talking about race and Rhoden has done an exemplary job of developing that metaphor in a book that is always engaging and provocative.
Review: 40 million blacks should read $40 million dollar slaves!! - Every black person and every black athlete should read this book. Words really can't describe how good this book really is. It's a history lesson with the same old saga in this world we live in. From a history major, I can really appreciate this work. What Rhoden does is takes us on a time machine into America's sports culture and sees how African American's have influenced and changed how we view sports today. He also presents challenges to black athletes of this generation. Blacks in general have to look at "game film" history, the past to prepare for the future as Rhoden says so often. I love how he symbolizes the Rhoden's main theme is for blacks to gain power within the community as a whole and not individually. I read about Rube Foster and the Negro Leagues but, his research and point about what Foster really wanted was a rude awakening. Also the taking of most of the great talent from HBCU's (who were being drafted into pro football) to the big D1 schools points out the plantation system is still going on. The Jockey syndrome was amazing story of how black jockeys were over 90% of the jockeys in the early Kentucky Derby's. Today's jockey syndrome are the caddies in golf a couple decades ago, who now make 100k and blacks are no where near to be found. The system has shut them out. But it wasn't as forceful as it was 100 years ago. The story about Tom Molineaux was awesome and needs to be put into a movie. A black slave boxing in England in the first fight of the century (before Jack Johnson). He also uses the examples of Larry Johnson and the legendary Curt Flood to further exemplify his thesis. The book is a little repetitive in some areas, but he's just trying to prove his point which he does so well. There are a lot of things he didn't mention to go along with his points. He could write a volume 2 concerning other black athletes that changed things and prove his point. I agree and disagree about his views on Jordan and his neutrality. Rhoden would be glad that Jordan is now a NBA owner and WInslow Jr. is playing for a black head coach in the NFL. He discusses the pros and cons of integration. I mean, it was necessary, but it put a dent on black america at the same time. To read this book, you have to understand where Rhoden comes from, all black community, black college, child of the 60's etc. I agree with 95% of the book, because you have to understand that now that you have integration, blacks come from all parts of the country and he understands that but sees integration as not benefiting the majority of blacks. Rhoden views the struggle today is for blacks to be owners (masters) of their own talents and styles and not remain servants (slaves) to mainstream America which is exploiting them, like what was done over 300/400 years ago. And the sobering thing that Rhoden and many others have seen before him is how blacks who once dominate in a articular sport are becoming less represented. Racism still exist, and in the media you can still sense it. What we need is more guys like Rhoden in the media to expose and tell it the way it is. He doesn't address what the black america's community problem is: and that is the black man being the head of his family. Once that ownership is taken care of the rest is history, but that's another saga that has lasted over 300/400 years. And the people who know "game film" (history) know where that came from. Bring on volume 2 Rhoden, please. As some other viewer wrote what a saga!

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #36,391 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #5 in Sociology of Sports (Books) #53 in African American Demographic Studies (Books) #213 in Sociology Reference |
| Customer Reviews | 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,034 Reviews |

## Images

![Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81j5Jjm+rwL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Paradox of the "Slave Athletic Celebrity"
*by M***N on July 17, 2006*

Rhoden's aim in this finely written and very readable screed is to explore the African American star athlete's paradoxical dilemma: On one hand, he is worshipped for his athletic prowess and is lavished with millions of dollars. On the other hand, he is beholden to white team owners, white league administrators, and as such is limited to the role of a super-paid lackey. Some reviewers object to the slavery analogy and the exodus from the plantation to the Promised Land that is heavily used in Rhoden's argument. But Rhoden is correct to point out that the slavery is both spiritual and power-based. Spiritual because too many African American athletes, Rhoden charges, are so busy micromanaging their careers that they have no sense of the broader context, of African American history (one star athlete was shocked with disbelief when he discovered that blacks were once banned from Major League Baseball). Power-based because too many blacks are relegated to "black" roles and forget the larger mission of making more opportunities for blacks in positions of privilege. Whether or not you agree with Rhoden's analogy, I would argue that the book is nevertheless very readable and entertaining, giving us powerful narratives of how black men, starting with the emancipated slave fighter Tom Molineaux, left America to fight the English champion Tom Cribb and showed whites that blacks' athletic performance defied stereotypes about being dense, ignorant, maladroit, etc. By studying Molineaux, Ali, and other African American greats, Rhoden shows how black athletes who see themselves as symbols of black power help forge the way for other black athletes. On a personal note, Rhoden, an African American, explains in his own life growing up in Chigaco in the 1950s and 1960s, that sports are a great avenue for learning about race and American history. I am no exception. As a child, I loved Hank Aaron and one day as I read about the way he was bullied and denied white restaurants and hotels, I got a bitter taste of what this country was like for people of color and contemplated the hideous color divide. Sports is a powerful metaphorical arena for talking about race and Rhoden has done an exemplary job of developing that metaphor in a book that is always engaging and provocative.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 40 million blacks should read $40 million dollar slaves!!
*by S***S on February 6, 2011*

Every black person and every black athlete should read this book. Words really can't describe how good this book really is. It's a history lesson with the same old saga in this world we live in. From a history major, I can really appreciate this work. What Rhoden does is takes us on a time machine into America's sports culture and sees how African American's have influenced and changed how we view sports today. He also presents challenges to black athletes of this generation. Blacks in general have to look at "game film" history, the past to prepare for the future as Rhoden says so often. I love how he symbolizes the Rhoden's main theme is for blacks to gain power within the community as a whole and not individually. I read about Rube Foster and the Negro Leagues but, his research and point about what Foster really wanted was a rude awakening. Also the taking of most of the great talent from HBCU's (who were being drafted into pro football) to the big D1 schools points out the plantation system is still going on. The Jockey syndrome was amazing story of how black jockeys were over 90% of the jockeys in the early Kentucky Derby's. Today's jockey syndrome are the caddies in golf a couple decades ago, who now make 100k and blacks are no where near to be found. The system has shut them out. But it wasn't as forceful as it was 100 years ago. The story about Tom Molineaux was awesome and needs to be put into a movie. A black slave boxing in England in the first fight of the century (before Jack Johnson). He also uses the examples of Larry Johnson and the legendary Curt Flood to further exemplify his thesis. The book is a little repetitive in some areas, but he's just trying to prove his point which he does so well. There are a lot of things he didn't mention to go along with his points. He could write a volume 2 concerning other black athletes that changed things and prove his point. I agree and disagree about his views on Jordan and his neutrality. Rhoden would be glad that Jordan is now a NBA owner and WInslow Jr. is playing for a black head coach in the NFL. He discusses the pros and cons of integration. I mean, it was necessary, but it put a dent on black america at the same time. To read this book, you have to understand where Rhoden comes from, all black community, black college, child of the 60's etc. I agree with 95% of the book, because you have to understand that now that you have integration, blacks come from all parts of the country and he understands that but sees integration as not benefiting the majority of blacks. Rhoden views the struggle today is for blacks to be owners (masters) of their own talents and styles and not remain servants (slaves) to mainstream America which is exploiting them, like what was done over 300/400 years ago. And the sobering thing that Rhoden and many others have seen before him is how blacks who once dominate in a articular sport are becoming less represented. Racism still exist, and in the media you can still sense it. What we need is more guys like Rhoden in the media to expose and tell it the way it is. He doesn't address what the black america's community problem is: and that is the black man being the head of his family. Once that ownership is taken care of the rest is history, but that's another saga that has lasted over 300/400 years. And the people who know "game film" (history) know where that came from. Bring on volume 2 Rhoden, please. As some other viewer wrote what a saga!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ WE HAVE COME SO FAR WITH A LONG WAY TO GO
*by G***Y on April 9, 2023*

This book has been on my reading list for a few years, and it is one of the most profound books I have read in a long time, and it did not disappoint! The research for the book was exceptional coupled with his own lived experiences made it even better. Overall a must read for any black aspiring athlete and their loved ones, or even for a white person looking to get a perspective outside of their inherent privilege. A definite recommendation and hope to read more from this author!

## Frequently Bought Together

- Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete
- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
- Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race

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*Last updated: 2026-03-09*