"I think we've said that we don't discriminate in every other area except the blacks." Hall Thompson, 1990, founder Shoal Creek Golf Club.
On golf.com, there's a feature article outlining progress in the admission of African Americans to the Shoal Creek Golf Club. It's a private club in Birmingham so, of course, it's not really surprising that black people were historically (until just after 1990) inadmissible to the club, and that it now boasts as one of it's 3 black members Condi Rice and a former NBA player. What is surprising is the tone of the article. Many private clubs only admit rich people, and there are far more wealthy white people than black people in the US.
Michael Bamberger SI and golf.com writer says the following when talking about the founder's son: "Mike Thompson -- so earnest he asked me if he should be using 'black' or 'African-American' -- cottoned right to the idea [of touring Birmigham's civil rights sites]."
COTTONED.
Sucks when a rich white golf club owner doesn't know -- earnestly and doe-eyed though -- whether to call them blacks or African Americans.
Not wanting to be left behind in all the race talk going on lately in the country, and now that the tiger woods story is dying down, what better way to keep golf in the national conversation than to bring race up in the context of golf? Just in time to capitalize on Sherrod story, golf.com and SI's Michael Bamburger has 'cottoned' right to the idea of talking discrimination against African Americans in Brimingham, Alabama, that bastion of racial progress.
Dunno how to link to the full article, so here it is: http://www.golf.com/...
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