Black and Proud : The Story of an Iconic Afl Photo

On April 17, 1993, after an Australian Football League match between St. Kilda and Collingwood marred by racist chanting, victorious St. Kilda star Nicky Winmar faced the opposition fans, lifted his shirt and, pointing to his chest, declared, “I’m black and I’m proud to be black.” The moment was immortalized by photographers Wayne Ludbey and John Feder and forced Australian football and its fans to confront deeply held prejudices. This chronicle documents the events that led to that pivotal moment, narrating the stories of the players and photographers and their experiences in the lead-up to and aftermath of the match. This is a fascinating, thought-provoking account of the interrelation between sport and race in Australia and is essential reading for any sports enthusiast or student of Australian history.

Matthew Klugman is a senior lecturer at Victoria University’s College of Sport and Exerciese Science. He was the inaugural research fellow of the National Sports Museum in Melbourne, where he co-curated the Black and Proud exhibition on Nicky Winmar. He is the author of Passion Play: Love, Hope, and Heartbreak at the Footy. Gary Osmond is a senior lecturer in sports history at the University of Queensland. He is the author of several articles and book chapters on Australian and Pacific sporting history, and co-curated the Black and Proud exhibition at the National Sports Museum.