Curiosity can be a great agent for understanding the world around you and is a valuable tool for obtaining knowledge.”
Karl Bullock (he/him)
PhD Candidate in Rhetoric, Media, and Publics
Karl Bullock is PhD candidate in Rhetoric, Media, and Publics housed in the Department of Communication Studies. He is a recipient of the Black Metropolis Graduate Assistantship, which is designed to increase capacity at Chicagoland’s Black archives and support projects that preserve and amplify Black histories and legacies. Karl is currently inventorying, digitizing, and assessing Rebuild Foundation’s collections on the South Side of Chicago.
How would you describe your research and/or work to a non-academic audience?
My research focuses on the sports arena as a protest site for Black athletes in America. I am interested in the strategies utilized by Black athletes, historically and in the present, to engage in social and political movements to articulate the reclamation of their humanity, fight for civil liberties, and as a form of civic engagement.
Tell us what inspired your research and/or work.
The topic of my research has always been at the forefront of my mind. A specific moment would be the 2019-2020 NBA and WNBA seasons. With the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the shooting of Jacob Blake, I became interested in the players boycotting games. For me, this was an opportunity to understand the power and constraints of the sports arena as an entry point in civic participation and agent for change.
Whom do you admire in your field and otherwise, and why?
I admire the work of Dr. Harry S. Edwards and Howard Bryant because of their ability to underscore the experiences of Black athletes in America and their roles as activist-athletes. Others are Dr. Tracy Vaughn-Manley and Dr. John D. Márquez in Black Studies because of their knowledge base and pedagogical approaches in the classroom. If I were to ever teach, they are individuals whose methods I'd love to incorporate in my own settings.
How do you unwind after a long day?
I'm usually catching up on podcasts; The Right Time with Bomani Jones is a gem. Other than that, I'm watching NBA games or reruns of Martin (a classic!) and Veep.
What books are on your bedside table?
1.) Loose Balls: The Short, Wild Life of the American Basketball Association by Terry Pluto, 2.) Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s New York Knicks by Chris Herring, 3.) Ode to Hip-Hop: 50 Albums That Define 50 Years of Trailblazing Music by Kiana Fitzgerald.
What inspires you?
Chicago, which is where I'm from, and my family and friends who keep me lifted when I need it.
How would your closest friends describe you?
My friends have told me that I'm easy to talk to and fun to be around. Also, that I'm an amateur comedian.
What advice would you give your younger self or someone considering a similar path?
Be curious. There are times in your journey when you will encounter unfamiliar circumstances where you don't know something or are just afraid to test the waters. Curiosity can be a great agent for understanding the world around you and is a valuable tool for obtaining knowledge.
Tell us about a current achievement or something you're working on that excites you.
Currently I'm working as part of a fellowship at Rebuild Foundation on the South Side of Chicago building collections within a museum that preserves Black art, culture, history, books that are unique to Chicago. I'm excited about it because I'm interested in exhibit curation within cultural institutions that service their communities.
Tell us about a time when things did not go as you planned, what did you learn?
There was a time where I almost flunked out of college as an undergraduate. I learned humility and that there is no shame in asking for help. I also learned that when you get knocked off your square, those are moments where you learn about your ability to correct mistakes and get back on track.
Publish Date: January 16, 2024
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