Black History Month Roundtable: Celebrating Black excellence in wrestling
A roundtable of Black writers discuss how their race is connected to the space of wrestling and the highs/lows of what it means to be Black in places like WWE and AEW.
An all Black panel of writers comprised of Anthony Mahon, Chris Jeter, David Joseph, Kyla Hessler, Phil Lindsey, and Raphael Garcia sit down to discuss black history in the context of WWE, AEW, and wrestling overall in the space of Black History Month.
Let’s dive right into it.
What does it feel like to be a Black person in wrestling media (or just a Black fan in wrestling period)? What makes it unique from a non-Black person’s experiences in watching wrestling?
Anthony: To have the platform to represent my people in an arena where there’s not a lot of representation for us is an opportunity I’ve been humbled by since day one. With it though—media and fandom—you often find yourself having to play the role of educator, especially considering recent racial controversies.
Having to break down why certain events/opinions are problematic to audiences that dissociate at will because it doesn’t affect them gets annoying but all things considered, being a black person in media and a black wrestling fan is an empowering position to be in.
Chris: Being a Black person in wrestling media definitely has its challenges, which mostly presents itself in the form of reactions to your takes and articles that dare interject a, uh, specific strain of “politics” into the conversation. I got a taste of this following the two pieces I wrote early in my time here that centered around Hulk Hogan and the racism that he still hasn’t adequately apologized for.
While there wasn’t blatant racism, there was plenty of “move on” and “what’s the big deal” comments that served to minimize the issue in service of seeing an old guy appear every once in a while to recite his tired catchphrases.
That’s part of the most frustrating aspect of not only being a part of wrestling media, but also a Black wrestling fan in general; the feeling that, at best, your work and patronage is being taken for granted.
Despite all of that, however, I’m also grateful to have the platform to express those joys and frustrations as a writer and ensure that those feelings shine through in every sentence I utter or type.
David: Being a Black wrestling fan and member of the media feels great. Our perspectives are very unique and creative. Don’t get me wrong we have our own set of obstacles that only we can relate to. It may sound contradictory but I almost feel like our culture is the best kept secret to what will help make pro wrestling more cool to the casual fan.
At the same time, I believe that it’s obvious to everyone (admit it or not) the impact black voices and Black superstars are having on the industry. We are representation while also having our unique ways to advocate for representation.
Kyla: Being a black person in the wrestling media and a black fan in wrestling has it’s pros and cons. As a fan, I get to enjoy the matches that are put on for the audience, while being a part of wrestling media now allows me to give my thoughts and analysis of these performances, which are definite pros.
I cringe at moments that are sometimes uncomfortable or even unbelievable, which is a con, but as a black person in wrestling media, I can now bring some of these moments to the forefront and discuss it rather than just disapprove of it as I have done being just a fan of the sport.
My position as a black wrestling fan and black person in wrestling media is unique from that of a non-black individuals experience because I have more of an awareness towards aspects in wrestling that others may just brush off as part of the show, especially when we talk in terms of black wrestlers and the attitudes, characters, and/or personas that they play in comparison to their non-black counterparts.
Phil: There is so much enthusiasm from both black wrestlers and fans. I feel like it’s my responsibility as a black writer to speak to them as much as possible because a lot of journalists in this field don’t take the time to.
They want to be acknowledged and I see that every time I’ve made the effort to highlight black wrestlers or speak up about the issue surrounding their experiences in this industry. They’ve always shown me love in return because again I feel there is so much of a desire to be heard. I take a lot of pride in being able to understand that and produce content that I know they will enjoy.
Raphael: It’s difficult. There are times when I love wrestling. The energy, the emotion, the experiences and excitement. But there’s also the disdain of knowing that promotions do not “trust” people that look like me to be the top draws.
There’s always the detractors and those that root for people of color to fail when they are put in the main slot; especially those that are comfortable in their color. Non-black, well, Non-POC people do not have to experience this because they can point to legions of examples of wrestlers who have gotten their chance and chances to run with the top spot.