2020 presidential election: LeBron James wants more black Americans to vote

NBA superstar LeBron James is a household name in the world of basketball and he's now using his high profile to bring about change in the world of politics.

LA Lakers forward LeBron has created the group More Than a Vote to encourage more people from black communities to have their say in the presidential election which takes place later this year.

A number of other top American athletes and celebrities including basket players Trae Young and Skylar Diggins-Smith, sprinter Allyson Felix and comedian Kevin Hart are also involved.

It's hoped the work of the group, which will eventually become a non-profit organisation, will lead to more African Americans voting for who'd they'd like to be the next president.

However, LeBron's aim isn't just to get more black people voting. He also plans to work alongside other organisations like When We All Vote and Fair Fight to protect people's voting rights.

Why is LeBron starting the group now?

Lebron James was inspired to start More Than a Vote after the death of George Floyd

The idea for More Than a Vote is believed to have been sparked by the death of an African American man called George Floyd in police custody.

The events that followed his death have put a spotlight on black lives and LeBron hopes to use this to highlight the importance of protecting the black vote.

In the US, certain groups may be discouraged or prevented from voting for a number of different reasons and this is known as something called voter suppression.

Issues around voting tend to vary from state to state in America. It can include things like polling stations being closed or understaffed, voters having to travel long distances or waiting in very long queues to cast their vote, issues with people registering to vote, people being removed from voter rolls, poor voting equipment and strict rules around ID and other requirements needed to vote.

Some voters have also experienced intimidation and harassment.

What does he hope to achieve?

LeBron opened the I Promise school in his home state of Ohio back in 2018. He's now leading a campaign aimed at getting more black Americans to vote

LeBron James hopes More Than a Vote will not only inspire more African Americans to vote in the upcoming presidential election, but he also wants the group to make people aware of why using their right to vote is so important.

"Yes, we want you to go out and vote, but we're also going to give you the tutorial. We're going to give you the background of how to vote and what they're trying to do, the other side, to stop you from voting," he said in an interview with the New York Times.

He hopes to make a long lasting impact through initiatives like More Than a Vote and his ultimate goal is to inspire future generations.

He told the New York Times: "Hopefully, someday down the line, people will recognize me not only for the way I approached the game of basketball, but the way I approached life as an African-American man."