On America

On America: Claude Johnson on The Black Fives with Laura Washington

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Tuesday, 7:00 pm EDT May 31, 2022

The Center for Fiction*
& Online via Zoom

S1656099.pdf

In-person* tickets include a $10 bookstore voucher, redeemable toward the featured event book on the night of the event. All registrants will receive a link to livestream the event.

As the 2022 NBA playoffs ramp up, historian Claude Johnson joins The Center for Fiction for a rich conversation on an unsung history of the early days of basketball. In The Black Fives: The Epic Story of Basketball’s Forgotten Era, Johnson braids together the stories of dozens of teams—then often called “fives”—of African American players, founded before the racial integration of all-white professional leagues in the 1950s.

Laura Washington, nonprofit executive and Board member of The Center for Fiction, joins Johnson in conversation about this critical lost history. This conversation is a must-see for basketball fans and history buffs alike, challenging our notions of the sport and preserving a crucial history for generations of fans to come.

*Proof of vaccination is required to attend this event in person. Mask wearing is also required throughout the building. Accepted vaccination proofs include:

  • CDC vaccination card (or an image of it)
  • Excelsior Pass or Excelsior Pass Plus (or a printout of it)
  • A record of vaccination from the healthcare provider who administered your vaccine

Anyone 5 and older is required to show proof of two vaccine doses or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Anyone 18 and older must also present a government issued photo ID.

If you remain unvaccinated because of a disability or sincerely held religious belief, please contact us at [email protected] for assistance or to request a reasonable accommodation.

S1656099.pdf

In Conversation

  • Claude Johnson (C) Janette Beckman - Claire Fennell

    Claude Johnson

    Claude Johnson

    Claude Johnson is a historian and founder of the Black Fives Foundation. He has a BS in civil engineering and economics from Carnegie Mellon and an MS in mechanical engineering from Stanford. During a 20-year career in corporate America, Johnson held management and executive positions at IBM, American Express, NBA Properties, Nike, Phat Farm, and Benetton Sportsystem. He left to become a stay-at-home dad to his three sons, two of whom are now Division I college football players (the third is a Division I high school basketball recruit). He lives in Greenwich, Connecticut.

    Photo Credit: Janette Beckman

  • LWashington photo - Claire Fennell

    Laura Washington

    Laura Washington

    Laura Washington is Chief Communications Officer & Vice President for Strategic Partnerships at the New-York Historical Society. As an executive in the philanthropy and nonprofit sectors, for more than 15 years, Washington has guided organizations to greater visibility and impact. She is passionate about the potential of narratives to empower and strengthen communities and support social justice.

Featured Book

  1. . 
    S1656099.pdf

    The Black Fives

    By Claude Johnson

    Published by Abrams

    PURCHASE

    African Americans were making moves in basketball generations before the rise of the NBA. Their pioneering efforts helped popularize the sport in big cities and small towns alike, shaping the game we know and love today. From the invention of the game in 1891 to the racial integration of all-white professional leagues in the 1950s, dozens of teams—then often called “fives”—of African American players were founded and flourished. This was a time of visionary players, managers, and impresarios who blazed a trail, battled discrimination and marginalization, and created rich, meaningful events that strengthened their communities in the face of Jim Crow oppression.

    Despite national headlines in the “Negro” press, barnstorming tours throughout America, and domination of their white opponents, the Black Fives Era has been forgotten, overlooked, unacknowledged, and squashed. It is barely known today . . . until now.

    The Black Fives by historian Claude Johnson is a landmark narrative history that braids together the stories of these pioneers. A fiercely committed advocate, Johnson has spent more than two decades researching, preserving, exhibiting, teaching, and honoring this important African American experience to unearth what might have remained buried. The Black Fives rewrites our understanding about the true history of the game.

About this series

On America

Our On America series brings writers, journalists, activists, and change-makers together to reflect on the critical issues of our times. Who are we and who are we becoming? How do the stories we tell shape who we are as a nation? Will we rise to the challenges we face?

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