Black male college athlete identity: A scoping review

Abstract

Scholarship on college athlete identity has increased within recent decades; however, there remains a dearth of literature centred on identity and Black male college athletes. While athletic identity is often self and socially regarded as a dominant identity, this population also holds numerous identities, such as race, gender, sexual orientation, class, and being a student. This scoping review synthesizes 26 peer-reviewed pieces of scholarship that focus on Black male college athletes and identity. Thematic categories found in this literature include discussions of athletic identity, complexities and intersections of identity, United States (US) college and athletic context impacting identity salience, and shifting the narrative of Black male college athlete identity. This review concludes with future directions that encourage the increase in research regarding identity and Black male college athletes.