It was 2007, and the Rutgers women’s basketball team had reached the NCAA championship game. While they had fought hard to make it that far, they had no idea they’d soon face an even tougher opponent off the court.
After the Rutgers team was defeated in the NCAA championship, radio host Don Imus called the team members “nappy-headed hos.” Clearly comfortable with his multimillion-dollar position with CBS, he assumed his position was safe no matter how offensive he was. But the clout he got wasn’t what he expected.
A coalition like no other formed immediately. Activists like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, along with leaders from civil rights and women’s movements, joined forces to take down Don Imus. They met with CBS executives, who agreed to fire Imus.
“It’s not about taking Imus down," Sharpton said. “It’s about lifting decency up." Imus’ comment was more than just clickbait. It was peak caucasity to say something so degrading about Black women to a nationwide audience.
Our community was fully behind that 2007 Rutgers team, and we still have the power to hold people who do us harm accountable.