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NAACP Image Awards: 10 Times LeBron James Delivered For Social Justice

He received the 2021 NAACP President's Award for his work in the name of all things Black.

It’s no secret that LeBron James is a powerful force on the basketball court. But the NBA star is also a powerful force in the fight for social justice in America. He follows in the footsteps of other great athletes who came before him including Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, all of whom used their considerable platforms to fight for change during tumultuous times. That is why James was last year's recipient of the NAACP President's Award. 

James, 36, a native of Akron, Ohio, who is married with three children, plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. The championship NBA basketball player is easily one of the greatest in the history of the game; he is frequently compared to Michael Jordan.

James spent the early part of his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He also played for the Miami Heat, a second time with the Cavaliers, and now the Los Angeles Lakers.

In recent years, he turned his attention to social justice at a time in America when people of color are rising up against structural racism and the criminalization of Black and brown bodies. 

Here are 10 things to know about the social justice firebrand:

RELATED: LeBron James Listed As Most Influential Celebrity In 2020 Election

  1. WOKE AND AWARE

     (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

    Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

    (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

    James and fellow NBA players, decked in Black Lives Matter T-Shirts, showed their support for the movement during the league’s season opener between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Clippers in July 2020. 

    "I hope we made Kap proud,” he told reporters following the game, referring to former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began silent protests against police brutality during the football preseason in 2016 by kneeling during the national anthem. “I hope we continue to make Kap proud. Every single day I hope I make him proud on how I live my life, not only on the basketball floor, but off the floor. I want to always speak out against things that I feel like are unjust. I always want to be educated on things and go about it that way.”

  2. UNAPOLOGETIC

    In an interview in July 2020 with Spectrum SportsNet, James broke down the meaning of Black Lives Matter in plain and simple terms. “Black Lives Matter is not a movement. When you're Black it's not a movement, it's a lifestyle...When you wake up and you're Black that's what it is."

  3. VOTING RIGHTS

    Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
    Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

    In June 2020, he joined a group of other prominent Black athletes and entertainers to form More Than a Vote, which is aimed at inspiring African-Americans to register and to cast a ballot at election time. He also pledged to use his high-profile platform on social media to combat voter suppression. He has long said that he believes his greatest legacy will come from his off-the-court achievements. 

    “This is the time for us to finally make a difference,” the NBA superstar told The New York Times about the new group.

  4. HE IS A PHILANTHROPIST

    Photo by Ty Wright/Getty Images
    Photo by Ty Wright/Getty Images

    James is a tour de force on and off the basketball court. He has contributed millions of dollars to his hometown, and paid tuition for scores of students to attend the University of Akron. He is founder of the LeBron James Family Foundation. The organization is based in James' hometown of Akron, Ohio, and it provides fundamental resources and programming to help children and families thrive.

  5. COMMITTED TO EDUCATION

    The LeBron James Foundation opened the I PROMISE program in 2018 to provide year-round resources, access to opportunities, supportive skill development, constant encouragement and other wraparound support to more than 1,300 Akron Public School students who have all been guaranteed college scholarships if they do their part.

    The efforts have resulted in a public school that takes an innovative approach to providing a challenging, supportive, and life-changing education, creating a new model for urban public education.

  6. MEDIA EMPIRE

    Photo by George Pimentel/Getty Images

    George Pimentel/Getty Images

    Photo by George Pimentel/Getty Images

    He and childhood friend and business partner, Maverick Carter, formed the SpringHill Co. in 2020 after raising $100 million. Carter serves as CEO, while James is chairman. In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek the duo described SpringHill as “a media company with an unapologetic agenda: a maker and distributor of all kinds of content that will give a voice to creators and consumers who’ve been pandered to, ignored, or underserved.”

    SpringHill earned its name from the Akron apartment complex where James lived with his mom when he was in sixth grade. The company consolidated the Robot Co., a marketing agency, with two other businesses. The first, SpringHill Entertainment, is behind "The Wall," a game show on NBC, and the movie "Space Jam: A New Legacy," which stars James and is scheduled to be released in July 2021. The second, Uninterrupted LLC, produces "The Shop: Uninterrupted"—an HBO talk show featuring James, Carter, and other Black A-list celebrities—as well as Kneading Dough, an online partnership with JPMorgan Chase & Co., in which athletes talk about money to promote financial literacy. 

  7. TIES THAT BIND

    Photo by Kelly Kline/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch

    Kelly Kline/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch

    Photo by Kelly Kline/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch

    In 2013, James married his longtime girlfriend Savannah Brinson at a lavish ceremony that included a performance of “Crazy In Love” by Beyonce and Jay Z. The couple started off as high school sweethearts, who had dinner at Outback Steakhouse on their first date and have been together since. They have three children. Inscribed on every insole of every sneaker of every game are the names of his wife, Savannah; sons, Bronny, Bryce; and daughter,  Zhuri, collectively known as the James Gang. Together they work on philanthropic efforts with Savannah putting a particular emphasis on empowering girls and young women.

  8. SUCCESS FROM THE START

    Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
    Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

    Success came early when he was a student at St. Vincent – St. Mary High School in his hometown, where he and the “Fab Five” led the school to three state titles in their historic run. 

    Along the way, he has earned widespread praise for his achievements, including Mr. Ohio Basketball (2001-2003), Mr. Basketball (2002-2003), Gatorade Player of the Year (2002) and became a McDonald’s All American MVP in 2003. In the 2003 NBA Draft, James was selected number one overall to his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, but always remembered his connection to his community and his hometown.  He would eventually open the I Promise Program and I Promise School in Akron to help underserved and disadvantaged families .

  9. SIMPLY THE BEST

    Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
    Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

    In his first season with the Cavaliers, James became the first player–– and the youngest ever–– to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, according to his NAACP Social Justice Impact Award nomination. He spent his first seven seasons in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers. A leader on and off the floor, he helped lead the Cavaliers to three postseason appearances. In the 2007-2008 season, he won the NBA scoring title averaging 30 points per game. After exercising his free agency for the first time in his career, he joined the Miami Heat in the 2010-11 season. The team won back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013, when he earned Finals MVP awards in each campaign. In July of 2014, he announced his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers in an effort to win a title for his home state of Ohio. In 2018, he moved to the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2020, the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 106-93 as James won his fourth NBA title.

  10. TACO TUESDAY IS FAMILY TIME

    Part of being a great example to the community, starts by being a great example at home. Tacos are one of the meals that LeBron enjoys a lot, especially if it’s on Tuesday. In 2019, he shared a series of videos of his family celebrating the event. He can be heard announcing to all his followers and screaming, “You know what it is! It’s Taco Tuesdaayyy!”

    Check out the hilarious video below:

  11. Watch the 53rd Annual NAACP awards on BET on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022 at 8/7C

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