On Account of Darkness: Shining Light on Race and Sport - Paperback

by Ian Kennedy (Author)

For marginalized athletes past and present, achievement can bring celebrity without equality and recognition without opportunity.

In many ways, Ontario's Chatham-Kent region is a microcosm of Canadian multiculturalism. As a terminus of the Underground Railroad, it has long been home to a large Black community. Walpole Island and Delaware First Nations are nearby and many interned Japanese Canadians worked on local farms during World War II. The history of sport in the region is emblematic of the challenges that have confronted generations of non-white athletes nationwide. Each chapter uses the story of a local athlete--some famous, others more obscure--to illuminate one aspect of the evolving relationship between race and sport in North America. Combining tales of personal triumph with sports history and social commentary, On Account of Darkness examines systemic racism and ambivalent attitudes that persist to this day.

Back Jacket

"More than just history, this book can teach us all something. On Account of Darkness is a powerful read about racism and overcoming prejudice, not just in sports, but in Canada. These untold stories need to be heard." BOB IZUMI, sportsman and host of the Real Fishing Show

"These stories show that anything is possible, and good things can happen, no matter who you are." FERGIE JENKINS, member of the MLB Hall of Fame

For racialized athletes past and present, achievement can bring celebrity without equality and recognition without opportunity.

". . . it is so refreshing to read something that breaks new ground and discusses the issue from angles we have not seen. It is a deep dive into a vital topic that also contains such depth of feeling, depth of history, and depth of personal recollection to animate why knowing the past is so critical for the present." DAVE ZIRIN, Sports Editor, The Nation

"A well-researched and often uncomfortable trip through Canadian sports history. Ian Kennedy's reporting . . . will rekindle discussions about athletes from our country's past who deserve a more prominent place in history and ought to also spark a debate about whether some of Canada's most prominent sporting legends deserve the pedestal they have been put upon." RICK WESTHEAD, TSN Senior Correspondent

Author Biography

A resident of Erie Beach, Ontario, Ian Kennedy is an educator and journalist with a passion for sport and storytelling. In 2011, he founded CKSN (Chatham-Kent Sports Network), an online sports news outlet. A writer for The Hockey News and Yahoo Sports, his reporting has also been featured on radio and in publications including The Globe and Mail and Outdoor Canada magazine. He holds degrees in Kinesiology and Education from the University of Western Ontario.