In 1983, Arthur Ashe was asked to teach a course, The Black Athlete in Contemporary Society, at Florida Memorial College's Center for Community Change. Because he could not find the resources needed, Ashe researched and wrote this three-volume history which covers the history of sports in ancient civilizations and the historical achievements of African American athletes who overcame racist obstacles from the seventeenth century through the twentieth century. This monumental work includes narrative explanations and numerous chronological charts for major sports.