Image: Black Fives Foundation
Basketball entertains fans and athletes with each new season. It remains a staple sport within the Black community with professional leagues primarily composed of Black and Brown players. Society forgets that Black players once resorted to playing in church basements in order to enjoy the game. The Black Fives Foundation works to preserve the history of the historical men who crafted the culture of basketball we know today.
Where Basketball Began
The origins of basketball root from a physical education class at the International YMCA Training School (currently Springfield College). In 1891, graduate student James Naismith needed physical activity to keep his PE class engaged and active during the winter months. Naismith decided to grab two peach baskets from the school custodian, installed them ten feet high on opposite sides of the gym and instructed his students to play. From the first day, basketball rose in popularity amongst students and other institutions.
“The first public game of basketball was played in a YMCA gymnasium and was recorded by the Springfield Republican on March 12, 1892.” “Fives” gained traction throughout a multitude of YMCA gyms and universities. The sport,however, remained segregated until the Boston Celtics drafted Chuck Cooper. Similar to how baseball had the Negro Leagues, basketball had the Black Fives from the early 1900s to 1950.
The Black Fives Crafted The Culture
At the beginning of the 20th century, tuberculosis and pneumonia cases increased. A quarter of the dead Black population in New York passed from tuberculosis. Community leader Conrad Norman created the Alpha Physical Culture Club in Harlem, NY to combat this health issue in 1904. He crafted the Alpha Big Five, one of the first teams born in the Black Fives Era. Other teams from this era include The Savoy Big Five and the Second Story Morrys. Banned from white YMCAs, these teams played each other in church basements, armories, meeting halls and dance ballrooms. “Rather than just isolated basketball games, these bonafide events also involved music and dance before and after games during an age of jazz—a celebration that sounds like NBA All-Star Weekend.” The game may have emerged in 1891, but the Black Fives created and cemented basketball’s culture.
Image: Thought Catalog
Claude Johnson Works To Accurately Preserve Black History
Marketing executive Claude Johnson formed the Black Fives Foundation to keep their history alive. He noticed that an 800-page book on NBA history (1996) only dedicated three pages to the role Black players had. He created this foundation to bring, “the stories of the pioneers of the Black Fives Era back to life, to engage people of all ages in ways that are relevant today and to honor those forebears.” Founded in 2013, this non-profit educates the public through exhibitions, presentations and collaborations with community based organizations. Last month, they partnered with PUMA to take this mission to the next level. Through retro-inspired clothing and staple graphics from the Era, this long standing partnership aids in bringing awareness to the education the Black Fives Foundation spreads on NBA history.
Image: Sole Collector
Accurate documentation helps restore facts for future generations to learn about. The work of the Black Fives Foundation allows avid basketball fans to understand all dynamics of its history.