Brennan McDaniel is a senior business economics major and basketball player at University of Chicago. He averaged 12.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, while leading the Maroons in field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage, in 2019-20. McDaniel is a founding member of the UChicago chapter of Scholars of Finance.
The UAA “Conversations About Race and Racism” series seeks to lift the voices of people of color and recognize the challenges faced in both athletics and academics at the collegiate level. By sharing personal stories, we hope to elevate the conversation about race to raise awareness and bring about change.
Dramatic Switch in High School
Before transferring to Woodward Academy for his final two years of high school, McDaniel had attended a private Christian school from the sixth grade through 10th grade. “I was very involved at that school that was 95 percent white,” he recounted. “I was involved in basketball, football, was the student council representative, and was part of the headmaster advisory board that worked on how to make the school better.”
Even with his immersion in multiple aspects of the school, his eyes were being opened to how differently he was perceived. “I was the only Black boy in my grade until the ninth grade when two others were admitted. My mom has a PhD in African American history and women’s studies. She teaches how the world views Black people opposed to how it views white people. As a student, I was beginning to see this firsthand,” he expressed. “These were people I had known for years, but in the 10th grade, it got to the point where my peers were calling me race-based names. I was bitter at first because these were people who I thought were my friends. Then I realized it was just more of an ignorance. To paraphrase James Baldwin, they didn’t see things as they were because they didn’t want to see them, and since they weren’t happening to them, they didn’t care.”
McDaniel and his family knew it was time for him to make a switch. “I left because the school did not, as a whole, understand how to interact with ethnic minorities. It also hindered my growth as a student in that I was an honors student, but when I tried to move to AP (advanced placement) classes, I was told to just stay where I was,” he recollected. “They didn’t see the potential that my parents and I knew I had.”
The move to Woodward paid immediate dividends. “They tapped into who I was as a scholar and an athlete. I lost the burden of having to speak on behalf of Black people. I hadn’t thought of it much at the time, but looking back, it was a huge burden. WA was a microcosm of the country, majority white with a lot greater breadth of different races such as Indian, Asian, and Black people,” he communicated. “I felt more comfortable in my own skin because there were more people like me and that I wasn’t going through circumstances alone. I saw in relationships what I want to see in people, an acceptance of similarities and differences, a respect for a person’s heritage.”
Misconceptions/Challenges at Primarily White Institution
“At the Christian school, people believed that I was able to go to good schools because they needed Black people and didn’t look at me holistically. People missed out on seeing me as a full person. It was as if I have to prove I was a scholar, athlete, son, friend, and child of God,” he lamented. “It was if there were two sermons being preached simultaneously. We had one Bible study, but the teachings missed some of the intricacies of loving thy neighbor and respecting one another. Race is such a huge undercurrent and deeply ingrained in our society.”
At UChicago, McDaniel still faces the assumption that he was accepted into the school because he is an athlete. “People say, ‘You are here because you play sports.’ A lot of what happens at UC is people getting wrapped up in what a heavy academic school it is,” he noted. “They believe that to be successful at a school like this, you need to be in the library almost 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They don’t understand that people who work and/or participate in extracurricular activities can be successful with proper time management. During basketball season, my days were planned out from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.”
He battles with self-induced pressure and being seen as not representative of Black people as if the Black experience is monolithic. “I feel like I have to live up to the standard of being a successful Black man. With so few people who looked like me at my Christian school and now again at UC, it is incumbent upon me to show others that the perception they have of Black people from the media is not always accurate,” he explained. “What becomes really difficult is when classmates, peers, and teachers don’t acknowledge cultural differences or ignore my Blackness. They say things like, ‘You are different than other Black people. You are one of us.’ In my experience, most Black people are the same as me. They are intelligent and caring with a variety of nuances. So many people only encounter Black people with a preset image in their minds on what they see from the media and on the news.”
Having to think about simple actions on a daily basis can also take a toll. “We are constantly being watched, literally and figuratively, to make sure we are doing the right thing. It is the same thing as when we walk into a store. We have to keep our hands out of our pockets. Those small things add up and it is like being under a microscope,” he pointed out. “That is particularly taxing when you are doing the right things to be successful. You ask, ‘What is going on here?’ I wonder if people see me as a statistic and a stereotype or for who I really am?”
McDaniel also recognizes he adjusts his behavior based on his appearance. “Being the only Black person in a room and being the biggest person (he stands 6’6” tall), you physically dominate a space. I always have to be cognizant of that. I know that I even doing something as simple as jogging in my neighborhood, people are wondering if I belong there,” he described. “It’s sad to see the UC police stopping a Black man for wearing a doo rag when they live in the dorms. Black people have to always be mindful of things like that.”
History Lessons
“While there are obvious things that people say or do that are harmful in terms of jokes or generalizations about Black people with regard to hair, food, speech, or our bodies and athleticism, those things come from ignorance and not knowing any better. What really hurts is people ignoring my culture, my heritage, and not being respectful. My life is different simply because of the color of my skin,” he articulated. “We often hear about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, but it can’t be done. Unless you are Black, you cannot have the Black experience.”
McDaniel stresses the importance of teaching history accurately. “We learn the history of the Holocaust and how Native Americans had their land taken, but rarely, even in college, do we hear how the U.S. Constitution declared Black people as 3/5ths of a human being, making us separate from the human race,” he stated. “Black people were seen as property for bartering purposes. It is hard to unravel that when you consider it is built into America’s roots. It is a misconception that Black people have to teach the U.S. about the system that was thrown upon us. We can’t teach you how to solve this. It is incumbent upon everyone to understand the historical perspective of where we are coming from. You can literally Google it.”
Conversations about race increased precipitously after the much-publicized murders of Black people and the ensuing protests last summer. “A lot of my white friends asked me why George Floyd’s case was the one to spark the protests. I said that Black folks were not just fighting for justice for George, but that we are fighting the injustices that have been going on for 400 years. We are tired of always getting the same treatment,” he narrated. “The fact that the protests continued and became worldwide showed how big this thing really is. It was like ripping a band aid off a real sore spot of what this system is. We all need to pay attention.”
Role of Allies
“Do the work to get yourself up to speed. Don’t rely on minorities to answer all your questions about systemic racism. UC has a highly educated population. Read a book, learn about Black intellectuals like James Baldwin, W.E.B. DuBois, C.L.R. James, Martin Delaney, Cornell West, Louis Farrakhan, Malcolm X, Angela Davis, Martin Luther King, Jr. Question authority. Speak up and speak out about what is important to you,” McDaniel advised. “After the murders in the summer, a wave of people were apologizing. We don’t want that. We want the problem solved. Find out what you can do.”
He recommends asking important questions in places where you may not have considered speaking up previously. “Ask board members how many of their board members of color are people of color and/or women. Ask organizations and companies what they are doing with regards to diversity and investing in the community. Learn about the gaps between the rich and the poor, and see how those differences manifest themselves,” he communicated. “It is easy to ignore what doesn’t affect you directly or daily, but if you have those experiences, you know how it feels. When people’s rights are vandalized, it is a human rights problem.”
Advice for Other Student-Athletes of Color
“Dealing with societal and personal racism is traumatic. It has a real effect on mental health. Society is built in a way to see certain things and portray people in certain ways. Ethnic minorities constantly see people who seem successful and they are mostly white people, specifically white men. That really takes a toll on your mental health,” he explained. “I didn’t realize how hard I had been fighting against a structural barrier until I got to college. That really changed my mindset. I replaced bitterness with a determination to do something about it, to educate myself, and to educate others.”
McDaniel believes one of the keys to improving mental health is to associate with like-minded individuals. “Find others who really get you and who see you as a whole entity. Find outlets that speak to your backgrounds and interests. That allows you to let go,” he remarked. “If there is not a space that already exists, create one. If you are a God-fearing person, find a church home that you appreciate and appreciates you. Surround yourself with people who care about you.”
Role of Athletics
“In every athletic department, it starts at the top. When coaches and athletic directors can’t see past color and experiences, they are not holding their teams to a high enough standard. If they feed into racism and stereotypes, you can’t blame your teammates for doing the same,” he said. “Minorities add a whole lot of value to teams and organizations. It is incumbent upon people at the heads of organizations to not only ask the right questions, but to also willingly seek to learn what those questions are.”
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, UChicago athletics came out with a statement that many Black student-athletes found insufficient. “The statement did not intentionally mention Black/African-American people or student-athletes. It was more of an ‘all lives matter’ response,” he pointed out. “Obviously all lives matter, but not all lives are not currently hurting and in need of acknowledgement. That was pretty frustrating.”
Black student-athletes on campus took action. “We sent an email saying that we were not pleased and that the statement was not enough. To their credit, they understood and took responsibility,” he recalled. “We followed up and crafted our own letter, which they revised and sent out quickly. They were quick to take appropriate action, which was encouraging. Too often, those in authority are well intentioned but fall short of the mark, in part because racism is just that deeply entrenched in our society. The key is constant pursuit of understanding. That is why it is imperative upon us to be diligent in pointing out the flaws within our communities, so we can all do better together.”