The roots of the black basketball trace back to the Hemenway Gymnasium on the campus of Harvard University.
Black Basketball Origins Trace Back To Harvard Gymnasium (Part I)
I was at the NBA Finals game last night. The Celtics won.
Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, on June 17, 1775. Today is N.B.A. Finals Game 6, in Boston, on June 17, 2008. Bunker Hill in Charlestown overlooks Boston Garden. Coincidence? I think not. You remember the Battle of Bunker Hill from history class? It was the first time the Patriots built… Read more »
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 »
Winning on the road is a blessing. But did you know it’s a mandate from Holy Scripture? Seriously. In so many words.
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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