Message to the Black Athlete: Reclaiming Faith, Family, and Freedom Through Sport

Author: Dr. David C. Hughes 

ISBN: 979-8-9931755-0-8

About the book: 

Message to the Black Athlete is a powerful call to rediscover purpose, identity, and leadership through faith. Blending scripture, history, and strategy, Dr. David C. Hughes exposes how modern systems profit from Black athletic excellence while neglecting empowerment—and offers a path to reclaim what was lost: faith that sustains, family that uplifts, and freedom that redeems.

Drawing from figures like Jack Johnson, Curt Flood, and countless modern athletes who’ve faced systemic barriers, Hughes connects past struggles to today’s realities, challenging athletes, parents, and communities to move from performance to purpose. This Christ-centered work equips readers with spiritual grounding and practical frameworks for ownership, leadership, and legacy-building—on and beyond the field.

More than a sports book, it’s a theology of resistance and a roadmap for transformation. The message is simple but revolutionary: play the game, but don’t let the game play you.

About the author:

Dr. David C. Hughes is a Certified Pastoral Candidate within the United Methodist Church, a Sports Industry Management (SIM) Advisor at Georgetown University, and an Associate Professor of Sport Management at Gordon College. He is the Immediate Past President and current board member of The Drake Group, a national nonprofit educating U.S. Congress and higher education leaders on critical issues in intercollegiate athletics.

A devoted father, David’s greatest joy is raising his two children, Chandler and Camille, who continue to inspire his work. His son, Chandler, has been featured in Essence, The Jennifer Hudson Show, NBC News, and a Dr. Phil Primetime episode for his acceptance into Mensa at the age of six.

In 2023, David contributed the book chapter Black Men, STEM, and Erasing the Digital Divide to Diversity and Inclusion in the eSports Industry (Lexington Books). In 2022, U.S. Black Engineer Magazine named him a “Leader in the Metaverse” for his work creating the Give Black App, a social impact fintech platform that connects donors with Black-led nonprofits and businesses to strengthen communities.

While on faculty at Hampton University, David secured a $340,000 technology grant to launch the first HBCU eSports initiative and started the eSports program at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU). He has also been a pre-doctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, a Scientia Foundation Fellow at Rice University, and a Social Justice Memorial Foundation Fellow. He attended Boston University for his Masters of Divinity (MDiv.) and holds degrees from Morehouse College and Prairie View A&M University.

His career includes work with the Houston Texans, the University of Texas, and ESPN. He has been the co-chair of the Atlanta NAACP Educational Committee, published the children’s book Benny Becomes an Architect, and been recognized as an Emerging Scholar by AERA. He currently serves as Diversity Chair of the North American Society of Sport Management and has been honored as a 30 Under 30 by HBCU Buzz, a 40 Under 40 recipient by PVAMU, and a Next Generation Leader by the NAACP. David is also a proud member of Forbes BLK, 100 Black Men, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.