The BIG EAST Conference is set to honor Black History Month for the third consecutive season through its collaboration with the Black Fives Foundation. The nonprofit public charity dedicated to preserving, teaching, and honoring the pre-NBA history of African Americans in basketball will partner with BIG EAST for 22 games.
Players from the BIG EAST Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams will sport shooting shirts bearing the Black Fives mantra, “Make History Now.” Women’s basketball coaches will wear corresponding lapel pins, while men’s basketball coaches will don lapel pins commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Black Fives Era’s iconic team, the New York Rens.
The Black Fives Era, lasting from 1904 to 1950 during racial segregation, featured Black basketball teams that significantly contributed to the sport. These teams paved the way for future generations of African American players, coaches, and contributors while organizing culturally rich and socially meaningful events that impacted Black communities, many of which are within the geographic footprint of BIG EAST schools.
“We look forward to amplifying the stories of the pioneers who made history in our school communities and celebrating their enduring impact on the game of basketball. Our role as educators, our basketball-centric identity and our commitment to diversity and inclusion combine to provide the perfect platform for us to assist the Black Fives Foundation in furthering their mission, and we are honored to continue our partnership this season.” said BIG EAST Commissioner, Val Ackerman.
This year’s partnership will begin with an educational webinar entitled “Basketball and Dance: The Business of Black Fives Basketball” led by Founder of the Black Fives Foundation and award-winning author, Claude Johnson. BIG EAST basketball players, coaches and staff will hear about the groundbreaking strategies between basketball, entertainment (music and dance), the Harlem Renaissance and other business innovations that not only left an enduring impact on the Black Fives legacy but have also become an integral part of a modern-day fan engagement.
“We are excited about partnering with the BIG EAST Conference again this season,” said Claude Johnson, Executive Director of the Black Fives Foundation. “This partnership provides an ideal opportunity for us to inspire excellence through the stories of the pioneers whose contributions helped shape the sport of basketball we know and love today. Bringing greater awareness to this history will be especially meaningful through the thought leadership of the BIG EAST Conference, whose member schools are among the finest academic institutions in the world.”
For more details on the games and about the Black Fives Foundation, visit BIG EAST’s official website or follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @BIGEAST.
The post SOURCE SPORTS: BIG EAST Conference to Honor Black Fives Foundation for Black History Month first appeared on The Source.
The post SOURCE SPORTS: BIG EAST Conference to Honor Black Fives Foundation for Black History Month appeared first on The Source.