Smart Set Athletic Club | Black Fives

Some Recent Tweets

Humbled by the tweet of another. Here are some recent tweets that we really appreciate.

Claude Johnson Is Guest On WNYC Radio’s Brian Lehrer Show (AUDIO)

Claude Johnson was a guest on WNYC Radio’s Brian Lehrer Show in a segment called “Brooklyn’s Secret African-American Basketball History.”

King Family in Barclays Center Concourse

Barclays Center Invites Black Fives Era Descendants To Its Grand Opening

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.

During Olympics, U.S.A. Owes Debt Of Thanks To Black Athletic Club 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.

Jay-Z’s Link To Brooklyn’s Century-Old Black Basketball History

Jay-Z’s co-ownership of the Brooklyn Nets reminds us of the Smart Set Athletic Club — America’s first all-black basketball team — whose players lived in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section where he grew up.

R.I.P Lena Horne, She Was Connected To Black Fives Era Of Basketball

Did you know that Lena Horne was the daughter of Edwin “Teddy” Horne, who played basketball for the Smart Set Athletic Club of Brooklyn?

The Black Fives: Basketball’s Forgotten (Black) History

By Vince Thomas for TheRoot.com: Before the NBA was desegregated, there were the Black Fives.

Accooe Descendant’s Story Comes Full Circle In Harlem

This story from a Black Fives Era descendant links the distant basketball past with the funeral of New York Renaissance star John Isaacs earlier this year.