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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar



Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor) is an American author, social justice advocate, and former professional basketball player who converted from Catholicism to Islam and changed his name while in his twenties. He is an outspoken advocate of racial equality, social justice, and interfaith understanding.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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09:51

Carmelo Anthony Wins the Inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award | NBA on TNT

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar honored Carmelo Anthony with the first-ever Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award. On Anthony's behalf, $100,000 will be donated to the Portland Art Museum’s Black Arts and Experiences Initiative.

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Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-Year Friendship On and Off the Court

Former NBA star and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Kareem Abdul-Jabbar explores his 50-year friendship with Coach John Wooden, one of the most enduring and meaningful relationships in sports history.

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Basketball Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Is Helping to Teach STEM Skills to Black and Latino Students

For more than a decade, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been focused on introducing underserved students to a STEM education, which is science, technology, engineering and math.

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03:17

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Talks about Experiencing Racism with Coach Wooden (5/18/17)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar talks about his book, Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-Year Friendship On and Off the Court, including Coach Wooden’s reaction to witnessing racism.

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07:14

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Discusses the Importance of Athletes Using Their Voices | The Arena

NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shares how he first became a social activist during the historic Cleveland Summit and the importance of today’s generation of athletes to continue bringing issues of social injustice to the forefront.

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04:23

John Wooden Memorial—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Former UCLA Bruin basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (formerly Lew Alcindor) speaks at the memorial service for John Wooden on June 26, 2010 in Pauley Pavilion.

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Black Profiles in Courage

In this ideal introduction to black history, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar examines the lives of heroic African Americans and offers their stories as inspiring examples for young people, who too rarely encounter positive black role models in history books or in the media.

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: What the NBA Championship Means to Me

Why is basketball different from all other sports leagues in embodying America’s social conscience? Perhaps because 83.1 percent of the players and 60 percent of the fans are non-white, making it the only major North American sport in which the majority of fans aren’t white.

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56:17

A Conversation with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar joined moderator Henry Louis Gates, Jr., for a discussion of race relations in the United States. The speakers discussed social and political activism, their personal experiences, and the social responsibility of respected athlete-celebrities.

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NBA Creates Annual Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Award

The new annual honor that will recognize a current NBA player for pursuing social justice efforts.

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