“Black athletes should not be asked to generate wealth, prestige, and power for state institutions while those same states strip political power from Black communities,” declared NAACP President Derrick Johnson standing in front of the U.S. Capitol yesterday alongside 32 members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The NAACP has launched a campaign called Out of Bounds, urging Black athletes, fans, alumni, and recruits to boycott major public university athletic programs in several Southern states. The states are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
The Congressional Black Caucus is joining the effort as Republicans in Southern states target their power and divide Black communities into multiple congressional districts to dilute Black voting power.
“The Congressional Black Caucus cannot support legislation benefiting major athletic institutions that continue to remain silent while black voting rights and black political power are being systematically dismantled in the South,” said Rep. Yvette Clarke, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The boycott push was organized in response to attacks by Republicans in several states on Black voting representation set off by the April 29, 2026 decision by Republicans on the U.S. Supreme Court to dismantle the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The new congressional maps pushed by Republicans in the South are targeting Black members of Congress.
The Congressional Black Caucus and the President of the NAACP held a joint press event on May 19 on the push to urge Black athletes, fans, alumni, to boycott the teams and sporting events in the states that are against voting rights and Black political representation.
NAACP leaders argued that the universities make big money from the talent and popularity of Black athletes while remaining silent about policies that harm Black communities politically.
The campaign encourages athletes to consider attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) instead. It also calls on supporters to redirect financial contributions away from the targeted schools until stronger voting rights protections are restored.
The Associated Press reported yesterday that, “the ACC, SEC, Florida State University, the University of Alabama, four Historically Black College and University conferences — the SWAC, MEAC, SIAC and CIAA — and chapter members of the National African American Athlete Alliance in both Texas and Florida did not return The Associated Press’ request for comment.”
