ESPN’s programming for Black History Month

It seems just yesterday when we rung in the New Year, but believe it or not, we’re already in February and Black History Month. ESPN will commemorate the month with plenty of programming, features and articles on its multiple platforms from TV, radio to its website. You’ll see reports on SportsCenter, short films on ESPN2, essays on espnW, vignettes on SEC Network and 30 for 30 documentaries on ESPN Classic.

It all culminates with a one-hour special, “Rise Up: A SportsCenter Special” on Valentine’s Day, February 14 at 5 p.m. ET which will have four segments on African-Americans who have endured and overcome various struggles. The profiles will focus on Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson who lost four friends to gun violence, the Missouri football team which raised awareness on race relations on campus, tennis star James Blake on racial profiling and ballet star Misty Copeland on breaking racial barriers and prejudice.

And then there will be other ESPN platforms which will be commemorating Black History Month as well.

• SportsCenter will head on the road on Saturday, February 13 to originate from Hampton University, the first HBCU to field a Division I men’s lacrosse team. Jay Harris and Lisa Kearney will anchor the-program;
• espnW will feature essays on African-American female athletes;
• Short films from the Spike Lee’s Li’l Joints series will be compiled into two programs on ESPN2 on February 7 and February 14.
• ESPN.com will have various articles relating to Black History Month;
• SEC Network will air vignettes on the contribution of black athletes in the conference; and
• ESPN Classic will re-air 30 for 30 documentaries focusing on the accomplishments of African-Americans in sports including 51 Dons on the University of San Francisco football team that declined to play in the 1951 Orange Bowl over racism and A Race Story on NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Wendell Scott who is the only African-Amercan to win a series race.

Full details of ESPN’s programming and plans for Black History Month are at its PR site.

[ESPN]