In 1948, the New York Rens made history by replacing the Detroit Vagabond Kings of the National Basketball League as the Dayton Rens. But, was it a raw deal?
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December 18 is the anniversary (1908) of the first inter-city game between two African American basketball teams.
I was invited to be a panelist at the 2nd Annual Princeton University Sports Symposium last week (Friday, December 7). (Download agenda.) Terry Lefton (left), editor of the Sports Business Journal, moderating a panel discussion about Sports Marketing and Sponsorship. I wore my orange and black Jordan sweater vest and my black/orange Black Fives Nike… Read more »
They were pretty. They were magnificent. They were the Chicago Roamers, a.k.a. the Roamer Girls, a great African American womens basketball team you probably never heard of until now.
I’m trying something new here, and it’s my first time, so please go easy on me! And, I have to pay the bills too like everybody else! But I just know you’re going to like this! So, please check it out. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k5ZwCVlGfI
There’s only one professional basketball team in the New York area that was always great, every year.
Everyone wants to make history. But few realize that to make history you have to start by making history right now, every day, one moment at a time. The best way to do that is to think about it. All the time. By asking yourself, how I’m making the most out of this moment? What… Read more »
The new Black Fives Museum Cube, Harlem Rens Edition. Check out this brand new thing. It’s called the Black Fives Museum Cube, and this one is the Harlem Rens Edition. There are only a limited number produced, and so far they’re only available at BlackFives.com. These are made in Italy under license by a company… Read more »
There were dozens of African American female basketball teams that played during the pre-NBA racially segregated Black Fives Era.
December is reserved for honoring the history of female Black Fives Era basketball teams like the New York Girls and many others.
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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