This feature length review of the Black Fives Exhibition at the New-York Historical Society appears in the Wall Street Journal, on the front page of its “Greater New York” section!
Wall Street Journal: Exhibit Uncovers the ‘Negro Leagues’ of Basketball
The Black Fives Exhibition at the New-York Historical Society and the Black Fives Foundation made the pages of New York City’s premier neighborhood news publication, DNAinfo New York, a real honor!
Final installations and setups are underway at the New York Historical Society, in preparation for the upcoming Black Fives Exhibition opening this Friday, March 14, 2014.
The one-and-only cultural icon, DJ, TV personality and all-around great dude Bobbito Garcia aka Kool Bob Love talks with Black Fives Foundation executive director Claude Johnson on East Village Radio.
At the March 2014 unveiling of the Earl Lloyd statue at West Virginia State University in Charleston, West Virginia.
A pair of vintage hand constructed leather and canvas basketball shoes, circa 1910s, on display in the first-ever Black Fives museum exhibition, at the New York Historical Society from March 14 to July 20, 2014.
This souvenir medallion is the earliest known in-arena promotional fan giveaway in basketball, on display with the Black Fives exhibition at the New York Historical Society.
A short film by the New York Historical Society introducing the first-ever comprehensive museum exhibition on the Black Fives Era of basketball (1904–1950).
Michael Bellamy hosts BK Live on Brooklyn Independent Media with guest Claude Johnson of the Black Fives Foundation
Barclays Center TV spoke with Claude Johnson about the vintage black basketball murals that are up around the Barclays Center concourse and their significance.
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Black Fives
We inspire excellence in youth and communities by preserving, teaching, and honoring the pre-NBA history of African Americans in basketball.
For years, we have been building something truly remarkable.![]()
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Something deeper than what’s visible on the surface.![]()
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This piece, created by the Gee’s Bend Quilters Collective from remnants of our Black Fives throwback jerseys, carries that idea.![]()
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On the front, you see something beautiful.![]()
On the back, you see the work.![]()
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Tens of thousands of stitches.![]()
Each one holding the whole together.![]()
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Like the earlier African American basketball pioneers whose names were forgotten, but whose work helped shape the game.![]()
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Like the countless people, often unseen, who did and are doing the work that holds our country together.![]()
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The surface only exists because of what’s behind it.![]()
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And it’s only as strong as the weakest stitch.![]()
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Do we really want to remove certain stitches?![]()
Are we OK with pieces falling apart?![]()
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Do we value the work we don’t see?![]()
Do we recognize it?![]()
Do we protect it?![]()
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That’s the real story.![]()
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A cultural archive. A sports heritage platform.![]()
Build with us.![]()
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Make History Now.![]()
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#culturalheritage ![]()
#intellectualproperty ![]()
#archives ![]()
#sportsbusiness ![]()
#blackhistory
For years, we have been building something truly remarkable.![]()
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A deep archive of early African American basketball.![]()
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The stories, the images, the history that shaped the game.![]()
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But this is more than an archive.![]()
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It’s a cultural IP and sports heritage platform.![]()
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Infrastructure of history, identity, and assets ready to build with.![]()
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For partners, institutions, and brands who want real cultural authenticity, not just performative optics.![]()
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Build with us.![]()
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blackfives.org/build![]()
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#blackhistory #culturalheritage #brandpartnerships #archives #intellectualproperty