Diverse cohort of five new members strengthens our mission and focus By Claude Johnson Welcoming New Board Members I am thrilled to welcome five new members to our Board of Directors here at the Black Fives Foundation. They are Tiffany Crowe, Cassius Johnson, Kiel King, Kevin McGruder, and Charles Wade. This addition marks an auspicious… Read more »
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New on-court mural at Howard Bennett Playground in Harlem honors the legendary New York Rens.
A Unique NCAA Student-Athlete Education & Leadership Name, Image, And Likeness Partnership With A Public 501(c)3 Charity Partnership Includes Appearances To Promote Educational And Leadership Initiatives In Support Of Nonprofit’s Mission To Inspire Excellence With History PRESS RELEASE GREENWICH, CT – February 5, 2024 – The Black Fives Foundation, a Greenwich, CT-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose… Read more »
PRESS RELEASE BLACK FIVES NONPROFIT ANNOUNCES HARLEM COURT REPAINTING PROJECT TO HONOR 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF HISTORIC NEW YORK RENS BASKETBALL TEAM, ON LOCATION AT SELECTED SITE Working With Manhattan Borough President’s Office and NYC Parks In Partnership With SLAM Media And Project Backboard, The Public Outdoor Court At Howard Bennett Playground On West 135th Street Has… Read more »
Proper Acknowledgement Of This History-Making All-Black Basketball Team With Lasting, Inspiring Commemoration Initiatives In Harlem BACKGROUND Formed 100 years ago, in 1923, the New York Rens were the first Black-owned, all-Black, fully professional basketball team in history. This Harlem-based squad won 85% of its games with 150-game schedules from 1923 to 1949, the equivalent of an NBA… Read more »
The Black Fives Foundation joins the 9th annual BIG EAST Freshman Fundamentals Program
Here are some behind-the-scenes pics taken at the Brooklyn photo shoot for our upcoming Black Fives x PUMA Autumn/Winter 2022 Collection, scheduled to be in stores on November 2.
A groundbreaking, timely history of the largely unknown early days of Black basketball, bringing to life the trailblazing players, teams, and impresarios who made the game.
We’re very excited about re-introducing our own original retro-inspired private label, Physical Culture Supply Co.
The BIG EAST Conference is partnering with the Black Fives Foundation to host 22 games that honor pioneering Black teams, players, and communities.
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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