 All American, the power of sports is about the power of sports to unite people and to promote the American way of life. It's also about how athletes use their power to break social barriers and protest injustice. We've put together a fascinating group of National Archives records to explore the history of sports and what's unique about sports in the United States. There are four sections in the exhibition. Each explores a different power of sports. Athletes like sprinters Jesse Owens and Wilmer Rudolph have been put forward as triumphs of American democracy. But when those athletes went home, they faced racist laws and institutions. Jackie Robinson was active in the civil rights movement after he retired from baseball. We share a letter that he wrote to Richard Nixon advocating for equal rights. You'll also learn about Althea Gibson, the first black tennis player to compete in the U.S. Open, and first baseman and power hitter Hank Greenberg, the first Jewish sports superstar. Many athletes were used to promote war efforts. Boxer Joe Lewis joined the Army during World War II and the media and military embraced him as a national hero. We have a number of autographed items including a baseball signed by Joe DiMaggio, a boxing glove signed by Muhammad Ali, and this Indiana fever basketball. All American the power of sports is free and open to the public through January 7, 2024.