Slavery's Role in the Athleticism of African-Americans

[XIII Heartless]

Four-time gold medalist Michael Johnson believes the question of why black athletes dominate Olympic sprint competitions shouldn't be taboo. In the lead-up to the London Games, he's trying to broach the controversial topic.
Johnson, who recently had his lineage traced back to West Africa as part of a British documentary, told the Daily Mail that slavery has "left an imprint through the generations."
The eight men who ran in the 100-meter finals -- all African-American or African-Caribbean -- in Beijing are believed to have been descended from slaves, according to the documentary. "Difficult as it was to hear," Johnson said, "slavery has benefited descendants like me. I believe there is a superior athletic gene in us."

The Daily Mail explains:
Some scientists believe a combination of selective breeding by slave owners and appalling conditions meant that only the strongest slaves endured, creating a group predisposed to record-breaking athletic performance.
African slaves underwent a rigorous selection process and only the fittest were transported on ships.
Johnson's views on the genetics of slavery and his allusions to eugenics have been mostly ignored in the United States. The interview with the Daily Mail was published last Wednesday and barely made ripples across the pond. For good reason: It's a third rail topic in the states. Even intelligent debate on the subject runs the risk of becoming controversial. Any statement is treated as polarizing.

The comments section on the Daily Mail piece is a fine example. Either Johnson is a hero for bringing his views to light or he's ignorant for his "trash" beliefs. There's no middle ground in a topic like this.

Michael Johnson says slavery descendants run faster because of

I'll admit, I've often wondered the same thing, and I came to the same conclusion as Michael Johnson. I understand many Americans (white Americans especially) don't like to discuss the practices and times of the slave era as it's an extremely ugly spot on our timeline, but I don't think that's a legitimate reason to discourage the subject from being discussed.

What do y'all think of this? Is it a probable/possible cause, or just bullshit?

[KaiSparda1018]

I, honestly, think it's bullshit. That's probably because I am a lot slower than some of my white friends lol. I think slavery could definitely have *contributed*, but I wouldn't say black athletes are stronger or faster because of slavery. If anything, I'd say more black people train from a younger age because institutionalized racism and a effed-up education system has a lot more black kids thinking being an athlete is their only option in life.

[axel95]

I, honestly, think it's bullshit. That's probably because I am a lot slower than some of my white friends lol. I think slavery could definitely have *contributed*, but I wouldn't say black athletes are stronger or faster because of slavery. If anything, I'd say more black people train from a younger age because institutionalized racism and a effed-up education system has a lot more black kids thinking being an athlete is their only option in life.

I agree with the last half of your post. The whole slavery impacting it seems like a bit of a stretch to me, but yet it makes sense.

[axel95]

Edit: Sorry for the double post

[The Conquerer]

I've read about this hypothesis before in one of my Anthropology classes. Lots of variables to take into account though. I can't play a lick of basketball anymore, but when I was a kid, instead of studying, reading, or doing whatever the suburban kids were doing, we played basketball and football from morning to night.

[ROXAS_32]

I wont say that it hasnt crossed my mind but it still seem like a stretch to me...
I feel more comfortable with the idea that after the years we had of oppression we just strive in area where we get the most recognition in which happens to be Athletics...

[Alaude Drenxta]

There is scientific fact and ample data supporting the idea, and it's not too difficult of a concept to imagine, if you subscribe to the theory of evolution, which the vast majority of people do. However, you may also like to take note that most of the sports that black athletes excel more at are sports where leg strength and speed are the most vital part, less than coordination and upper body power. Now, I'm not claiming black people are inferior in those respects, but they do not show the same dominance. There are certainly other factors to consider, but I think this one is a MAJOR contributor;

This is attributed to an increased muscle density and shorter ligaments in quadriceps and calves. Flexibility is sacrificed at the boon of power and speed, your muscles don;t have to move as much to achieve the same movement. It's quite useful sometimes.