HOUSTON \u2013 This is not just black history. It\u2019s American history. A sports history. <\/p>\n
I had the pleasure of visiting Houston Freedmen\u2019s Town to see a powerful exhibition about Black baseball in our city. <\/p>\n
It was my first visit to Houston Freedmen\u2019s Town in historic Fourth Ward, where you can feel the baseball legacy and heritage seeping from the sports artifacts on display. <\/p>\n
One lesson I learned from this exhibition is that Freedmen\u2019s Town is also known as the Mother Ward\u2014representing the area of the original Black experience.<\/p>\n
Blackball: Baseball, BBQ & Blues exhibition<\/p>\n
From the moment you step inside, you can tell the exhibition isn\u2019t just about baseball. Blackball: Baseball, Barbeque and Blues<\/a> showcases a story\u2014real history\u2014of the Negro League players, the culture and economic opportunity shaped by the game during the time of exclusion.<\/p>\n The Houston Freedmen Town Visitor Center consists of three historic, restored houses from the 1920s. Seba Suber, curator of Blackball, designed the inside of two houses with baseball memorabilia and historic photos\u2014some were hard to locate\u2014as if you\u2019re immersed in the timeline of segregation and Jim Crow South. <\/p>\n The exhibition weaves you into the sport and the traditions that developed, from dressing up in your Sunday best for church to music and picnics celebrating Black joy despite the hardship.<\/p>\n In addition to showcasing the history through artifacts, Suber designed a few interactive exhibits for guests to enjoy while learning how the community navigated in the Jim Crow South.<\/p>\n One of the most impressive exhibits\u2014in my opinion\u2014was the baseball shirts, hung on a clothesline to illustrate the migration pattern from the Mother Ward to other Black communities, such as Third Ward and Independence Heights.<\/p>\n Freedmen Town\u2019s baseball finests<\/p>\n As I roamed inside one of the houses, Suber showed me two rooms dedicated to Freedmen\u2019s Town\u2019s finest who made the sport meaningful in the community: Leroy Grant and Andrew Rube Foster.<\/p>\n Leory Grant was originally from Freedmen\u2019s Town and played for the Chicago American Giants\u2014a hometown hero.<\/p>\n Andrew Rube Foster was the father of Black baseball, with a vision to create an economically prosperous community centered around the sport. <\/p>\n Inspiration for the next generation<\/p>\n Grant and Foster\u2019s past contributions continue to impact the world and today\u2019s youth.<\/p>\n On Saturday, March 14, families can experience the baseball culture of the past at an upcoming event, NEXT GEN: Sandlot Sluggers. If you love sports and history, you don\u2019t want to miss this event, especially when you can experience history from some of the greats who lived in the era of the Negro Leagues.<\/p>\n The Negro League stats integrated into Major League Baseball records<\/p>\n During segregations, the Negro League players\u2019 performance was not included in Major League Baseball\u2019s (MLB) official records. However, that exclusion does not erase history. As of May 2024\u2014a century later from the founding of The Negro Leagues\u2014MLB integrated the statistics of Black players into its official records. <\/p>\n Leroy Grant is one of the players whose records are officially part of MLB.<\/p>\n As Houston prepares to welcome fans for the World Baseball Classic and FIFA, Blackball reminds us that some of the most important stories were born right here at our home.<\/p>\n Learn more about the exhibition in the video above.<\/p>\n Where to see the exhibition<\/p>\n Blackball: Baseball, Barbeque and Blues<\/p>\n Feb. 19 – June 30<\/p>\n Houston Freedmen\u2019s Town Visitor Center<\/p>\n 1204 Victor St, Houston, TX 77019<\/p>\n Exhibition is free and open to the public<\/p>\n Closed Sundays and Mondays<\/p>\n Open Tuesday – Saturdays<\/p>\n For hours, visit houstonfreedmenstown.org\/visit-us<\/a><\/p>\n