Michael Jordan, the world's best basketball player, has not only affected the game of basketball, but American society. Jordan was not the first African American man to play professional football, he was not denied anything because of his race, but Michael Jordan transcended the question of race as a business man and as a person. His story is not the story of a African American "victim", but instead, it is a story of a passionate and competitive man, basketball player, and salesman. Jet, February 28,2000
As a child, Michael Jordan always wanted to
play with the "big boys", he was always striving to
be better. Jordan's parents, unlike Tiger Woods' father, never
pushed 
him to be a
great basketball player, they pushed him to be a good person and
believe in where he came from and who he was. "Rather than
trying to create a superstar, Mrs. Jordan and her husband wanted
to rear children with strong moral character, confidence, high
self-esteem, and who would feel that they could accomplish whatever
goals they set. ' To give those values to your children doesn't
cost you a dime,' she says'. ' Those are the characteristics and
gifts that money cannot buy.'" ( Ebony, May1997)
Like most southern, African America families, Michael Jordan was
raised with the understanding that church was not an option. Therefore,
a sense of community, as well as community service, was instilled
in Michael from an early age. Mrs. Jordan say that her goals as
a parent were to " instill spiritual faith, moral values,
integrity, concern for others, a strong sense of self-identity,
and setting dreams and goals." (Ebony, May1997) All
of Jordan's accomplishments on the court have made his mom proud,
but what matters the most is that he is a good person who donates
both time and money back to the community. " For seven years
the Michael Jordan Foundation supported many charitable endeavors.
Last fall, Michael and Mrs. Jordan opened the James Jordan Boys
and Girls Club and Family Life Center." (Ebony, May1997)
Also, Jordan has donated Five million dollars to the National
Foundation for the Improvement of Education. "Over the next
five years, the Jordan Fundamentals grants program will put money
directly into the hands of literally thousands of teachers and
paraprofessionals struggling with limited resources."(Nea
Today, April 1999) Jordan is giving back to the public schools
that don't have enough money so that the less privileged kids
can still have a good education and move on to the next stage
in their lives. Similarly, Jordan donated one million dollars
to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill which will
"help establish an institute for families at the university's
School of Social Work, which will be dedicated to studying how
poverty, child abuse, teenage pregnancy and care for the elderly
impacts families." (Jet, December 1997) Jordan is
making sure to give back to the communities that really need the
money to empower the less privileged children to succeed.
Michael Jordan, upon entering the realm of
professional basketball, was pursued by Nike to be their new spokesperson.
Previously, the advertising wold had been dominated by white culture,
despite the fact that some of the best athletes were minorities.
" In the 1980s, with Nike, [Jordan] broke through an invisible
barrier preventing blacks from being product spokespersons. Jordan's
acceptance by white consumers was a healthy sign , and perhaps
a catalyst, in our ongoing racial healing. Now, in the 1990s,
Jordan is forging ahead as CEO of his own "Jordan" brand,
pricing shoes at twenty percent below Nike's, recognizing the
limited resources of many of his fans." (The Sporting
News, December1997) Michael Jordan realizes that many of his
fans who want to be like Mike, are kids who are less privileged
and cannot afford to pay the high prices to emulate Michael's
style. Many of his fans are racially a minority and are members
of the lower class. Jordan is cognizant of this, and makes sure
that his brand is made accessible to everyone. "The Air Jordan
ads also endorsed Jordan's racially neutral middle class identity
and displaced his blackness by setting it against the more troubled
blue collar African American guise of Spike Lee's Mars. The
way Jordan publicly ' does race' has stoked up his political detractors.
He is no Muhammad Ali, or even Arthur Ashe. For Nike, Jordan transcends
race. When asked to endorse civil rights activist Harvey Grant
against hard-line Republican Jesse Helms in North Carolina, Jordan
shrugged and simply said that Republicans buy sneakers too."(Guardian
Newspapers Limited, March 2000) Jordan is a true business
man who doesn't feel the need to play the "race card".
And although he never has had to deal with racism, " ' Michael
knows he is a black man in America,' says one friend. ' He's been
able to cross over to mainstream America, and they may have forgotten,
but he hasn't. He's a Southern black man just like his father
before him. He's the spitting image of James Jordan, who was a
proud man, and Michael's proud of that.'" (Newsweek, Jan
1999) Michael has been raised to know and be proud of who he is
as a person, and although he can't identify with the "black
victim" role, he still identifies himself as a black man,
and makes sure to give back not only to the black community, but
to less privileged communities who need a role model.
Michael Jordan is a world recognized name.
His name is not only know in the United States, but his name carries
weight throughout the entire globe. When Michael Jordan decided
to back Bill Bradley in the elections, "Bradley hopes Jordan's
endorsement will boost his campaign in time...". Jordan is
supporting Bradley because, " ' It's time for us to believe
in something that will give every American an opportunity to succeed,
and be viewed equally." (Jet, February 2000). Jordan
is supporting Bill Bradley in hopes of equal opportunity for everyone
in the country. He is using his popularity and world recognition
to boost his candidates platform. "Michael Jordan may well
be the only figure in American culture today with the ability
to ignite the more than one hundred million people who rarely
vote as well as the twenty five to thirty five million frequent
voters seeking to break the stranglehold of the two major parties
of our system." (MSNBC, March2000) Jordan's
social conscious is often questioned due to Nike's policies overseas,
however is it right to hold Nike's horrible actions against Michael?
Jordan has never been over to the sweatshops to see them in action,
and it is not his responsibility to right all wrongs made by Nike.
On the other hand, because so many people look up to Michael Jordan,
maybe he should recognize what he is representing and decide if
the company's policies are in-line with his beliefs. Despite criticism
from few, Michael Jordan works hard to be a good role model for
the young people and continues to support his community with special
concern for minority and underprivileged children.
1. Michael Jordan to the Max- Pictures, information and Statistics from Michael's career
2. Site made by M.J.- More information, General website with opportunity to email Jordan himself
3.Inside the Chicago Bulls- The official site of the Chicago Bulls, information on Jordan and other Bulls players
4. The Greatest- More pictures and Statistics about Jordan
5.Pictures of Mike Picture gallery.
1. Marantz, Steve. "A model of understatement."
The Sporting News, December 22, 1997. v221n51p17(1)
2. "Michael for president". http://www.mj2000.org/
3. "Michael Jordan Backs Bill Bradley in T.V. Commercial".
Jet, February 28,2000v97i12p33.
4. Leland, John. "The real Michael Jordan". Newsweek,
January25, 1999v133i4p46(1)
5. Halbertson, David. "Jesus in Nikes". Guardian Saturday
Pages, March 25,2000. pg10.
6. Norment, Lynn. "We didn't set out to raise a superstar".
Ebony, May1997v52n7p150(5)
7. "A Slam Dunk for Kids." NEA Today, April 1999v17i7p8(1)
8. "Black America's Top Philanthropists." Jet, December29,
1997v93n6p61(3)
