News of the Black Fives Collection by Converse continues to spread, partly through the help of a syndicated story that first ran in the Washington Post. Kudos to the Converse media relations team. Here are some more recent press clippings. The New Jersey Star-Ledger: … “Included will be shoes inspired by the high-top Chuck Taylor… Read more »
Black Fives News Continues To Spread
If you hate the N.B.A.’s dress code on shorts, at least consider that you didn’t have to wear these.
Superstar hip hop artist Ludacris has had nothin’ but love for Black Fives.
This is something about how I got my Black Fives retro gear placed in a classic episode of Pimp My Ride, along with clips of Xzibit wearing it.
Ora Mae Washington, a pioneering African American athlete, was born on January 23, 1898; she was perhaps the greatest female athlete of all time, black or white.
A video clip and some pics from the House of Hoops grand opening in Harlem
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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