Advertisments in "The Black Athlete": Writing Race for a White Audience

Imperil Whiskey advertises an image of white happiness and taste in the midst of a grueling story of racial inequality and mistreatment.

This ad by Bell Telephone Systems appeals to upper-crust business men, who are imagined as white and middle-aged, and male. The ad's text is meant to sound relatable and tap into the concerns and business problems of the Sports Illustrated reader. 

Budwesier offers a classic depiction of white, male companionship. Three men shoot pool and drink beer together, enjoying their weekend. The are the vision of the standard sports fan who would subscribe to and consume Sports Illustrated. 

DuPont advertises nylon ski coats in new "Antron" material. The models are well-groomed white men, clearly part of leisure class who can participate in costly sports like skiing, and indulge in a new jacket this season.

The advertisements featured in "The Black Athlete" are telling of the white readership that would've been consuming the piece in 1968. All the ads feature male, white, middle-class figures. The figures either implicitly or explicitly participate in such idealized white cultural practices as production, recreation, marriage, travel, and outdoor activity. These cheerful depictions of idealized white American life are positioned within and next to Olsen's difficult and pointed exploration of black athleticism, dissent, oppression, and anger. The ads and the content of the piece are dissonant, but the contrast also makes the clear the framework within which Sports Illustrated communicated with its audience. The publication focused on sports, and was aligned with hegemonic white culture, and these basic characteristics would have encompassed and informed Olsen's foray into racial discourse and the social importance of sports. The context of Sports Illustrated as a white, largely middle to upper class publication mediates all discussion of race within the magazine itself.