July 27 is the birthday of Ferdinand J. Accooe, one of the original members of the Smart Set Athletic Club of Brooklyn.
Basketball Pioneer Ferdinand Accooe’s Birthday, In 1889
CNN’s “Black In America” special is tired, tedious, and out of date. It’s what you expect from CNN: negative, fear-based, dumbed-down sensationalism. It’s a boring, depressing, uninspiring drag. CNN started out on the right foot — the program was originally supposed to be called “Race In America.” It could have been so useful and valuable… Read more »
The building’s gymnasium was the site of many early games between African American basketball teams, including the Washington 12 Streeters led by Edwin B. Henderson.
Speaking of Schoolhouse Rock, from the other day, remember this ad? httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvqwsiVn3W0 The original version: httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11N-BD1aBo0 The past and the present and the future …
I’ve always wanted a seersucker suit ever since Dad gave me my grandfather’s seersucker when I graduated from college.
When Kevin Garnett was traded to the Celtics, this became my favorite jersey: (Click above for larger image.) (Click above for larger image.) (Click above for larger image.) (Click above for larger image.) (Click above for larger image.) (Click above for larger image.) (Click above for larger image.) (Click above for larger image.) While throwbacks… Read more »
On May 30, 1906, the Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association of Middle Atlantic States (I.S.A.A.) took root with its first event, a track meet, at Howard University.
This survey rocks conventional wisdom about who counts in American history: Who are the most famous Americans in history, excluding presidents and first ladies?
Here’s a shout out to the courageous men of Company E, 372nd Colored Infantry Regiment, 93rd Division.
Wilmeth Sidat-Singh, a former star athlete at Syracuse, spectacular pro hoops player with the New York Rens and Washington Bears, and former Tuskegee Airman, died in a plane crash while on an Army training mission in 1941.
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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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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