Here’s a disturbing fact: Only 15 black executives have ever made it to the chairman or CEO position of a Fortune 500-listed company. Of these 15 executives, there are currently six active. There are currently no black majority-owned companies in the Fortune 500 rankings. Here’s something else disturbing: In 2012-13 of the six CEO/president positions held by blacks within NBA teams, three were from the Charlotte franchise, and one man was both CEO and president for the Dallas Mavericks. That left 27 of the 30 teams without someone of color in at least one of their top executive positions, according to the 2013 racial and gender report card released by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport. Although in 2014, the league added an African-American deputy commissioner and COO in Mark Tatum.

Currently, Michael Jordan serves the role of CEO on the Hornets while also being its owner. It makes him not only the first ever former player to become a primary owner of an NBA franchise but also the NBA’s only black principal/majority owner. One with one of, if not the most, diversified staffs in all professional sports. One very similar to the makeup to the staff he helps cultivate at his other business venture with Nike, the Jordan Brand.

As rapper Paris infamously said: “Black Power mean(s) more than a t-shirt.”Yet with the recent increase in superstar/celebrity social and political awareness surrounding everything #BLACKLIVESMATTER and beyond — LeBron James’ Instragram and Twitter posts lending his voice to issues ranging from the deaths of Trayvon Martin to the non-indictment of officer Darren Wilson; Derrick Rose first stepping on the court wearing an “I CAN’T BREATHE” shirt during pregame warm-ups; NFL players entering the field in unison with their hands up — the doors (once again) have opened up for Michael Jordan’s name to be the subject of apathy in the face of modern civil rights.

The “anti-Jordans” is what ESPN’s Howard Bryant called them. These are athletes who express non-centrist attitudes by taking public stands and using current events as platforms to extend their power beyond what they do on the courts, fields, rings, pitches and in stadiums and arenas. Others have used Jordan’s 1990 “Republicans buy sneakers too” comment as an indictment on everything Jordan hasn’t done when it comes to standing up, lending his voice and brand name to a civil rights cause.

In the comprehensive context of Jordan “not being black enough,” people miss how over the years with his position in the Jordan Brand as CEO, the company is the only one inside of Nike that has had multiple African-American presidents. Outside of Nike president Trevor Edwards, the execs at the Jordan Brand have always been the highest-ranking blacks in the parent company (Nike). This is something that Jordan’s made sure of; something that is not happenstance or a mistake.

“Michael’s willingness to hire, support and promote minority leaders throughout his business ventures has been remarkable,” Larry Miller, president of the Jordan Brand said in defense of the perception that the depths of Jordan’s contribution to “the struggle” goes no further than that of a glorified pitchman. “He has always been focused on creating successful and sustainable businesses and has empowered minority leaders, including myself, with the opportunity to grow and advance those businesses.”

Jordan just happens to do this “black thing” in a way that has been different. Quiet. Subtle. And no one gets it. His contribution to the race has been by providing power but not by voice. Most blacks aren’t used to that. We want our leaders and heroes to make noise. Instead, Jordan has had more black people employed and upwardly moving through a $2.5 billion shoe brand for years. And now he’s carrying that same process over to franchise ownership.