Being a black quarterback is more than just throwing a football in front of hundreds and thousands of people while making making millions of dollars. Most people do not understand the adversity that African American quarterbacks have been through just to snap a ball in the NFL. Here is where Michael Vick comes in. The Evolution of a Black Quarterback is a three-part series on Prime Video, which follows Michael Vick and his journey through America talking to the greats and the pioneers of African Americans playing a white dominant position. This series was very emotional and breathtaking, and this article will dive deep into why.
A lot of black players didn’t get the opportunity to play the quarterback position. However, when they did, they didn’t disappoint. Michael Vick talks to multiple pioneer black quarterbacks, and they discuss the complications of being a black quarterback and the minimal opportunities that were given to them. Most of these players were talented and skillful; the common misconception of an African American quarterback is the intelligence and leadership. The NFL, college coaches and general managers believed that African American quarterbacks didn’t have these skills, until they were eventually proven wrong.
Michael Vick interviews a couple of quarterbacks that went to Historically Black Colleges & Universities. HBCUs were a gateway for black people to get a chance for a great education. For these quarterbacks, they also provided the chance to play high level college football with and against other players that struggled just like them. They allowed quarterbacks to show their talents at a higher and even national level. Michael Vick continues to talk to more quarterbacks; throughout the series, you can see the progression of black people at the most important position.
It is very interesting to see how these quarterbacks went through so many different paths, but still faced the same problems. As the position gets more filled with African Americans, you can see how much progression we are making as a society. Evolution of the Black Quarterback does a really good job of talking about the evolution of black quarterbacks but also the evolution of the American society. If you are looking for inspiration and to learn more about the history of segregation and racism in America, then this is a very good documentary for you. The IMDb rating is a 6.6, but I would rate it a 4.5/5 Shields!
