Jackson State University made history this spring by becoming the first historically Black institution to have its golf team invited to the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I golf tournament. Division 110 the NCAA’s top competitive division.
Jackson State’s inclusion i s as ironic to some as it is historic. A year ago, golf coach Eddie Payton tried discrimination when his team was not selected for the tournament — despite the fact that the majority of his team is white. In fact, only one member of the current Jackson State team is Black.
Critics charge that fielding majority white sports teams at historically Black colleges undermines their mission. Supporters counter that the situation is no different from white institutions that field mostly Black basketball or football teams.
Economics appears to be at the root of the situation. With most Black colleges lacking the financial resources to recruit extensively, particularly to pursue the small pool of Black golfers who can be competitive at the Division I level, many must turn to white golfers to be competitive. And, because whites are in the minority at Black colleges, those institutions are often in a better position to offer more lucrative financial aid to whites.
