After finishing his debut season with the minor league Montreal Royals, Jackie signed a pro BASKETBALL contract with the Los Angeles Red Devils in October ’46.
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He will become the first individual ever enshrined in both the Cooperstown (baseball) and Springfield (basketball) Halls of Fame!
This week’s artifact is literally one of the building blocks of America’s basketball history as well as the Harlem Renaissance Period. #makehistorynow
This week’s artifact is a special book by a beloved athlete, activist, and scholar. (Hint: There’s a stadium named after him.)
In 1946, ‘The Game of the Century’ was played in New Britain, CT between the New York Renaissance and the New Britain Pros. Who won?
A vintage pair of 1930s basketball kneepads.
LISTEN: Our latest updates for Black History Month on ESPN Radio New York 98.7 FM with host Bill Daughtry.
The new ‘Make History Now’ video by ’47 brought to you by SLAM with Chicago Bulls star Taj Gibson, visual artist Swopes, rapper Lil Bibby, and some of Chicago’s best young ballers.
A rare promotional medallion from 1915 that is the earliest known in-arena give-way in basketball.
Do you use eBay? If so then please “favorite” the Black Fives Foundation! eBay matches fav charities with buyers and sellers who wish to donate a portion of their sales!
4,300
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