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The Black Fives Foundation (founded in January 2013) [18] is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to research, preserve, showcase, teach, and honor the pre-NBA history of African Americans in basketball. Its founder and executive director is Claude Johnson, historian and author of “The Black Fives: The Epic Story of ...
Dozens of all-black teams emerged during the Black Fives Era, in New York City, Washington, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and other cities. The Smart Set Athletic Club of Brooklyn and the St. Christopher Club of New York City were established as the first fully organized independent all-black basketball teams in 1906.
The New York Renaissance, also known as the Renaissance Big R Five and as the Rens, were the first black-owned, all-black, fully-professional basketball team in history, established in October 1923, by Robert "Bob" Douglas.
From the Black Fives Foundation: “During that period, the Rens routinely beat white national champion basketball teams like the Original Celtics, the Philadelphia SPHAS, the Oshkosh All Stars ...
Barred from the Whites-only gymnasiums and athletic clubs, Black Fives teams played in church basements, armories, meeting halls and dance ballrooms.
Founded in 1904, the Smart Set Athletic Club is credited with assembling the first formal fully independent African-American basketball team. [2] The team debuted in 1907. The Smart Set Athletic Club team was also a founding member of the Olympian Athletic League , along with the Alpha Physical Culture Club, the Marathon Athletic Club of ...
The capsule features a combination of sneakers and apparel, including hoodies, tees, shorts and pants, and a Puma Suede Mid with "Make History Now" written at the midsole.
By 1910, basketball was one of the most popular sports among young African-Americans. The game could be played on almost any surface, and it required little equipment. It was promoted largely in YMCAs in black neighborhoods, on basketball courts indoors and outdoors, at parks and on playgrounds.