Brian McGowan, an assistant professor of history at the University of Arkansas, has won the National Book Prize for his work as co-author of “Sport and Protest in the Black Atlantic.”
The award, which is presented annually by the North American Society for Sports History, is recognition for the collective effort of the contributors and editors of the book, which brings together scholarship that centers the actions of individuals who used sports to bring about social justice.
The book, which features contributions from four continents and six countries, covers sports as diverse as baseball, track, and weightlifting, and explores how sports have been used to further social causes across the Atlantic world.
“This award shows that the broader scholarly community appreciates the transnational approach taken by the editors,” said History Department Chair Caree Banton, “
McGowan, who previously served as the McIntosh Endowed Professor of Liberal Arts in the Department of History at Grambling State University, is an expert on American and African American history. His research has focused on student activism in higher education, and he has published numerous articles and books on the history of historically Black colleges and universities.
