When 'whiteness' is used as the taken-for-granted standard against which everything else is viewed, the success of black athletes is

• A. As a natural outcome
• B. seen by whites as a 'problem' in need of explanation.
• C. As evidence of progress
• D. As unrelated

Answer: (B)

When whiteness is treated as the default, neutral standard against which everything is measured, achievements by Black athletes are interpreted through that norm rather than simply celebrated on their own terms. In this view, success doesn’t just sit as ordinary triumph; it invites scrutiny and explanation because it challenges the assumed baseline of who belongs in the standard or in top positions. Observers may search for reasons—often focusing on external factors or exceptional explanations—rather than accepting the achievement as a straightforward result of effort, skill, and opportunity. That mindset makes Black success appear as something that needs justification, not as a normal outcome.

That’s why this option best captures the dynamic: White observers tend to frame Black athletic success as a problem in need of explanation, rather than as a natural outcome, an unproblematic sign of progress, or something unrelated to racial norms.