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This feature length review of the Black Fives Exhibition at the New-York Historical Society appears in the Wall Street Journal, on the front page of its “Greater New York” section!
Barclays Center TV spoke with Claude Johnson about the vintage black basketball murals that are up around the Barclays Center concourse and their significance.
On February 10, Barclays Center will unveil a compilation of six mural-sized photographic images honoring the legacy of Brooklyn’s African-American basketball history throughout the arena’s main concourse.
Newsday published this cool article by Bob Herzog. The piece is insightful, thoughtful, and thorough.
Claude Johnson was a guest on WNYC Radio’s Brian Lehrer Show in a segment called “Brooklyn’s Secret African-American Basketball History.”
As part of its grand opening, the Barclays Center has invited many of the known living descendants of early Brooklyn-based Black Fives Era pioneers.
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.
Did you know that Lena Horne was the daughter of Edwin “Teddy” Horne, who played basketball for the Smart Set Athletic Club of Brooklyn?
A vintage set of club-going rules from Harlem in 1926.
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