Baseball was a rich cultural and commercial phenomenon for an Afro-Atlantic culture in the Americas, beginning in the 19th century, reaching an apex with the Negro Leagues, and continuing today with many individuals contributing to the history of the game. When speaking of Negro Leagues Baseball, one should be distinguishing the highest level of professional baseball played among African-Americans principally from 1920-1955. Professional leagues functioned primarily in the Midwest, Northeast, and less frequently in the southeastern United States.
These leagues and teams established a high level of skill and entertainment throughout North America. African American involvement in baseball, however, is a multi-layered story. Community teams, college teams, community economics, ownership, wealth consolidation, Latin influences, media coverage, military service, and women’s roles are all entwined in the general study of the subject.
Consider exploring the Digital Exhibitions below powered by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
In 1945, Major League Baseball’s Brooklyn Dodgers recruited Jackie Robinson from the Kansas City Monarchs. Robinson became the first African-American in the modern era to play on a Major League roster. While this historic event was a key moment in baseball and civil rights history, it prompted the decline of the Negro Leagues. The best black players were now recruited for the Major Leagues, and black fans followed.
The last Negro Leagues teams folded in the early 1960s, but their legacy lives on through the surviving players and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Soon, rival leagues formed in Eastern and Southern states, bringing the thrills and innovative play of black baseball to major urban centers and rural countryside in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. The Leagues maintained a high level of professional skill and became centerpieces for economic development in many black communities.
The NLBM is a self-guided tour experience for all groups and individuals. The exhibition features text panels, hundreds of photographs, artifacts and several film exhibits.
Plan Your Visit
Learn more about the history of the Negro Leagues powered by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in partnership with Major League Baseball.
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Check out our digital companions to permanent and traveling exhibitions at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Explore Exhibition
