Wall Street Journal: Exhibit Uncovers the ‘Negro Leagues’ of Basketball
This thoughtful feature length review of the Black Fives museum exhibition at the New-York Historical Society by Sophia Hollander of the Wall Street Journal appeared on the front page of the newspaper’s “Greater New York” section:
Exhibit Uncovers the ‘Negro Leagues’ of Basketball
Here is a brief excerpt:
Mr. Johnson initially licensed the jerseys and began selling them. But in 2003, a security guard in Philadelphia was moved to tears as Mr. Johnson described the merchandise’s back story. He realized “there’s something else here,” he said.
Last year, he dissolved his company and created the Black Fives Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to spreading the story.
“There’s a better karma” now, he said. He dreams the NBA “will really embrace this” and players and college teams will pause to take in the exhibit: “We’re all part of this bigger picture.”
Indeed, the early black Brooklyn teams were honored last year at the Barclays Center, home of the Nets. Mr. Johnson worked with arena officials to select six team photographs that were installed in the main concourse.
They were astonished to learn the history, said David Berliner, chief operating officer of Forest City Ratner Cos., which developed the arena. “Exceptional athletes who helped shape this modern game need to be rediscovered,” he said.
