At their media day, the Big East announced a conference-wide, 22-team educational initiative with the Black Fives Foundation.
Big East Announces Black Fives Educational Initiative
The NBA incorrectly insists it was formed in 1949 when it was actually 1946.
Claude Johnson’s profile of African American basketball pioneer Clarence “Fats” Jenkins for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021 Enshrinement Weekend Program.
12-year-old reporter Carnegie Johnson encounters superstar point guard and Basketball Hall of Fame member Allen Iverson, who is reminiscent of Black Fives Era pioneer Zach Clayton!
Our new logo for the Black Fives Foundation Archives, to give them their own identity and their own focus within the overall mission of the organization.
This historic 1941 basketball ticket that celebrates FDR’s birthday and raises funds to prevent Infantile Paralysis represents a major milestone in the sport.
A short film by the New York Historical Society introducing the first-ever comprehensive museum exhibition on the Black Fives Era of basketball (1904–1950).
Let’s hear it for African American basketball pioneer Harry “Bucky” Lew, born on this date in 1884. Happy Birthday!
It was an honor to be recognized at Rucker Park for my work with the Black Fives, along with Nate Archibald, Emmette Bryant, Dean Meminger, and Earl Monroe.
Please join us in welcoming Julia Alexander, Robert Castaneda, and Eric Vinson to our inaugural board of directors!
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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