Running while Black explained

Running while Black is a sardonic description of racial profiling experienced by Black runners in the United States^[1] and Canada.^[2] In the United States, jogging gained popularity after World War II, and has largely been portrayed by American media as an activity typically engaged in by white people; joggers of color are treated with suspicion.^[3] Black runners report taking precautions such as wearing bright colors to appear non-threatening, avoiding running outside of daylight hours, running in groups for safety, and avoiding running fast enough to appear to be "running away from something."^[4]

In 2021, Lyndsey Hornbuckle found that the issue was particularly common when Black people were running in white neighborhoods, and especially higher socioeconomic white neighborhoods.^[5]

Sonia Sanchez's 1968 play The Bronx is Next includes a scene in which a white police officer arrests a Black person for running while Black.^[6] The 2001 US Supreme Court case Illinois v. Wardlow, which upheld the legality of a police search of a person based on the person running from police, has been described by civil libertarians as creating a new criminal offense of "running while black."^{[7] [8]} Examples of racial incidents due to "running while Black" also include the 2015 death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore,^{[9] [10] [11]} the 2015 arrest of Jimmy Thoronka in London,^[12] a 2019 incident in Vancouver, Canada,^[13] and the 2020 murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, U.S.^{[14] [15] [16] [17]}

See also

• Driving while black
• Shopping while black
• The talk (racism in the US)

Further reading

• Dragan Milovanovic, Katheryn Russell-Brown (2001). Petit Apartheid in the U.S. Criminal Justice System. Carolina Academic Press. .
• 1 August 2017. Black people don't exercise in my neighborhood: Perceived racial composition and leisure-time physical activity among middle class blacks and whites. Social Science Research. en. 66. 42–57. 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2017.03.008. 0049-089X. Ray. Rashawn. 28705363. none.
• Johnson. Demarquin. 2018. Running While Black. Harvard Journal of African American Public Policy. 7–10. .

Notes and References

1. News: Streeter. Kurt. 18 May 2020. Running While Black: Our Readers Respond. en-US. The New York Times. 14 July 2020. 0362-4331.
2. Web site: 5 June 2020. Sprinter Sam Effah on running while Black. 14 July 2020. Canadian Running Magazine. en-US.
3. News: VIDEO: How Running's White Origins Led To The Dangers Of 'Running While Black'. 19 July 2020. NPR. 18 July 2020. en. Demby. Gene. Michael. Nick.
4. Web site: Karimi. Faith. 27 February 2021. For Black runners, every stride comes with a fear they can't outrun. 17 July 2021. CNN.
5. Hornbuckle. Lyndsey. 1 June 2021. Running while Black: A distinctive safety concern and barrier to exercise in White neighborhoods. Preventive Medicine Reports. en. 22. 101378. 10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101378. 33996391. 2211-3355. 8105660.
6. La Donna Forsgren (2018). "Chapter 3. 'Armed Prophet': Sonia Sanchez and the Weapon of Words." In Search of Our Warrior Mothers: Women Dramatists of the Black Arts Movement. Northwestern University Press. .
7. Book: Vaughans. Kirkland C.. The Psychology of Black Boys and Adolescents [2 volumes]]. Spielberg. Warren. 30 June 2014. ABC-CLIO. 978-0-313-38199-7. en. 342.
8. Book: Engel, Robin S.. Race, Ethnicity, and Policing: New and Essential Readings. 15 March 2010. NYU Press. 978-0-8147-7616-2. en. 153.
9. News: Freddie Gray in Baltimore: Another City, Another Death in the Public Eye. The New York Times. 22 April 2015. Stolberg. Sheryl Gay. Nixon. Ron.
10. Web site: Justice Dept. Opens Baltimore police probe; 1K protest. Associated Press. 22 April 2015 .
11. News: Alexander. Keith L.. 25 July 2015. Representing Freddie Gray's family: A venerable lawyer in cases involving race, police and death. en-US. Washington Post. 15 July 2021. 0190-8286.
12. Web site: 19 May 2018. From top sprinter to homeless in London – what happened next to Jimmy Thoronka?. 15 July 2021. The Guardian. en.
13. Web site: Running while black: Vancouver police say no racial profiling in stopping man rushing to SkyTrain station. 11 June 2019.
14. News: After a Killing, 'Running While Black' Stirs Even More Anxiety. The New York Times. 8 May 2020. Futterman. Matthew. Minsberg. Talya.
15. Web site: Running While Black: Ahmaud Arbery's Death Highlights Shared Fears Of Racial Profiling. 14 July 2020. www.wbur.org. 11 May 2020 . en.
16. Web site: Beauchamp. Zack. 8 May 2020. Ahmaud Arbery and the dangers of running while black. 14 July 2020. Vox. en.
17. Web site: 'Why is this black guy running?': After Ahmaud Arbery's killing, African Americans reconsider fitness routines. 14 July 2020. NBC News. 15 May 2020 . en.