Kyrie Irving is not taking his foot off the pedal in his drive to examine truth and justice. The Dallas Mavericks star recently posted a picture on his Instagram Stories of a classroom door that provided an alternate perspective of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the consequences of the early global human trafficking.
With a title post above the image that reads, “Let’s not get it twisted out here,” the picture of the classroom door said:
“Dear Students,
They didn’t steal slaves…
They stole scientists, doctors, architects, teachers, entrepreneurs, astronomers, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, etc., and made them slaves.
Sincerely,
Your Ancestors”
Kyrie’s Plight
Irving’s post highlights an often overlooked narrative when discussing the slave trade that pillaged Central and West Africa, forever altering the course of history in North and South America and the Caribbean. Labeling potential geniuses kidnapped against their will and degrading them with the label “slave” denotes servitude as their only birthright.
The post reminds students that the blanket term “slave” belittles the potential stolen from the enslaved and denies their ability to exercise their intellectual potential for fear of degradation, rape, and, far too often, murder.
The post is on brand for Irving, who has been a consistent figure of polarization for the “shut up and dribble” fan faithful that follows the NBA.
Irving posted a link to the Amazon-distributed documentary “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” which had many accusing him of anti-Semitism. As a result, Nike severed its relationship with him, but Irving flipped the script by signing with ANTA, a Chinese sportswear company, where he also has the title chief creative officer.
Staying On Brand
Additionally, Irving took to social media often to decry police brutality during the protest movement sparked after the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Irving was rumored to have bought a house for a child of George Floyd.
More recently, Irving helped out a 93-year-old Josephine Wright from Hilton Head, South Carolina, in danger of losing her home that has been in her family for generations. In an attempt by an investment company to develop 27 acres of land around her property, they are trying to force her to sell her land by filing a lawsuit against Wright, the family claims. Kyrie Irving donated $40,000 to her GoFundMe page, helping her get closer to her $350,000 goal.
While Irving may be misunderstood, he is undoubtedly unselfish, and highlighting the byproduct loss in intellectual wealth that the slave trade created is a glimpse into the basketball star’s well-meaning, albeit misinterpreted mind.
