As a college student unsure of whether I had the endurance to continue my education and follow dreams of being a sportswriter, Stephen A. Smith gave me some great advice at the 2004 UNITY Journalism convention.
“Follow your heart, because anything else is just a job,” he told me after I told him how I had two years of experience working for my college paper, but no internships or any other experience to put on my resume.
He explained how close he was to giving up journalism altogether following stints at several North Carolina community papers when the Philadelphia Inquirer called him and I came away from that brief conversation feeling energized and ready to take on the world.
More than 20 years later, I find myself with conflicting feelings about Smith, as well as the National Association of Black Journalists following the annual convention’s biggest headline, a “Thumbs Down” award for the ESPN personality, citing a “recurring public pattern of disparaging commentary directed at prominent Black women across politics, sports and media.”
Smith, a Winston-Salem State graduate, of course fired back, claiming to be blindsided and accusing NABJ of a hit job, while adding that he was close to signing a deal to broadcast HBCU basketball games.
While no one can deny Stephen A. Smith’s impact not just on journalism and sports media but in the HBCU community, it is fair to call into question his biting comments aimed at people such as Texas congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, his stance on the WNBA (“there are a lot of people who don’t like you right now,” he said on X recently) and his friendships with conservative pundits like Sean Hannity.
Malcolm X said over 60 years ago that “the most disrespected, least protected and most neglected person in America is the Black woman” and when a Black man of Smith’s position, stature and magnitude always seems to be embroiled in a war of words with Black women, it proves Malcolm’s point, nor does it place Smith in a favorable light.
There is this thing that social media does where people like to say “It’s not that deep,” but when Black women have rescued this country – and our community – time and time again from itself, the disparaging remarks and treatment they receive on a regular basis, whether it’s from Stephen A. Smith or John Doe in the office/on the block/online/etc., it is that deep.
Black women have two strikes against them already (the hint is in their title and identification), so why are we as a community making things difficult for them?
If Stephen A. is truly hurt and disappointed by receiving the Thumbs Down award, he can certainly change the perception by not making the same mistake that countless men of all races have made in typecasting Black women as some sort of boogeyman (or boogeywoman) that is meant to be feared or taken down.
While Smith certainly must accept accountability for his inconsistent treatment of Black women, I don’t think hyping it up with an award was NABJ’s best play.
It would’ve been easier to say “We are an organization that champions Black women in media and beyond; we do not accept the stereotypes and rude comments sent their way.”
Instead, now Smith can go on the offensive, claiming that an organization that he always supported (and as many NABJ conventions as I’ve been to, he has been there, so it tracks) has turned its back on him.
There is also the awkwardness of NABJ (under different leadership, in all fairness) inviting Donald Trump to the 2024 convention in Chicago, which was every bit the disaster we knew it would be.
As journalism continues to die a slow, painful death thanks to Trump’s “Fake News” campaign triggering a nationwide anti-intellectualism movement, the energy spent on roasting Smith would be better served figuring out what the future holds for Black media as mainstream media outlets continue to close up shop or just close up to Black journalists.
While the Thumbs Down award gave Stephen A. Smith – and other media outlets and personalities – something to talk about, it does little to solve the problems that Black people – in media or elsewhere – face in a world that is bent on our destruction and extinction.
