BIG EAST Conference joins forces with Black Fives Foundation for a first of its kind initiative to honor pre-NBA history of African Americans in Basketball
During the month of February, the BIG EAST Conference will celebrate Black History Month by partnering with the Black Fives Foundation, a nonprofit public charity whose mission is to research, preserve, showcase, teach, and honor the pre-NBA history of African Americans in basketball, to host 22 games honoring Black athletes, coaches, and communities who played a critical part in America’s basketball history.
After basketball was invented in 1891, teams were often called “fives,” for their five starting players. The sport, like society, was racially segregated, and all-Black squads were called “Black fives.” From 1904, when basketball was first introduced to African Americans on a wide scale organized basis, through the racial integration of all-White professional leagues in the 1940’s, dozens of Black fives emerged and thrived while their skill, athleticism, and innovative styles of play helped shape and popularize the game to know and love today.
“Our basketball-centric identity and commitment to diversity and inclusion creates an optimal conference-wide platform for our men’s and women’s basketball teams to honor the Black Fives Era and educate individuals on this significant time in Black history,” said BIG EAST Commissioner, Val Ackerman. “This is an opportunity to celebrate pioneers in the member schools’ communities and to highlight their impact on the game of basketball and the community as a whole.”
Black Fives flourished on the amateur, semi-professional and professional levels in cities like New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Chicago, as well as in other locations with substantial African American populations. The men and women of the Black Fives Era opened doors for generations of African American players and coaches while staging culturally rich, socially meaningful events that strengthened and inspired Black communities in the face of Jim Crow oppression.
For 22 games, the BIG EAST Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams will be wearing the name and logo of a Black Fives Team to honor these pioneers. Coaches will wear a “Make History Now” pin to draw awareness to the Foundation’s mission, and fans will be educated through videos and other game time promotions on the relevance and importance of the Black Fives.
“We are excited about partnering with the BIG EAST Conference for this educational initiative to raise awareness about the pre-NBA history of African Americans in basketball,” said Claude Johnson, Executive Director of the Black Fives Foundation. “We’re thrilled to tell the stories of the players and teams from each of its member school regions, whose pioneering contributions helped shape the sport we know and love today. Exploring this history will be especially meaningful because BIG EAST member schools are among the finest academic institutions in the world. We are proud and honored to be working with the BIG EAST Conference.”
This is the first time that basketball programs across an entire athletic conference (either collegiate or professional) have come together to honor the Black Fives and showcase the impact these pioneering teams had on the sport.
Fans can follow all of the BIG EAST Black History Month initiatives on Twitter and Instagram at @BIGEAST.
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