The University of Indianapolis is honoring the memory and contributions of two alums, African American basketball pioneers Ray and George Crowe, by renaming one of its student residences after them.
U of Indianapolis Honors Basketball Pioneers Ray and George Crowe
Since the motto of the 2012 Olympic Games is “Inspire A Generation,” it’s appropriate to reserve some U.S.A. shout outs for early African American athletic club pioneers who, generations ago, helped make today’s successes possible.
Price was not only the oldest living former Harlem Globetrotter but was also one of 10 black players who in 1941 broke the racial color barrier in pro basketball by signing with the Toledo Jim White Chevrolets of the National Basketball League.
Zack Clayton, one of the greatest basketball players of the Black Fives Era as a star for the New York Renaissance and other teams, was born on May 4, 1910 in Philadelphia.
Today is the anniversary (1939) of the all-black New York Renaissance (a.k.a. “Harlem Rens”) winning the first World Championship of Pro Basketball.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Friday a new Early African-American Pioneers of the Game Committee, which has the clout to induct with a direct vote.
NBC4 in Washington, D.C. is airing this television segment celebrating the contributions of Black Fives Era basketball pioneer and contributor Edwin Bancroft Henderson.
This fine clip from ESPN.com honors Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, one of the first three African Americans to play in the NBA. Clifton played for the New York Rens and the Harlem Globetrotters before signing with the Knicks in 1950.
Black Entertainment Television is featuring a selection of photographs, artifacts, and memorabilia from the Black Fives Photo Archive in a new Black History Month promo segment that is airing during February 2011.
Sacramento Bee: George Crowe, an elite athlete who broke racial barriers in basketball and baseball, died quietly in Rancho Cordova last week after living a remarkable life as a mid-20th century pioneer.
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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.![]()
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Make History Now.![]()
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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