This is what several great people say about Claude Johnson’s upcoming new book, the first in a series detailing the pre-NBA history of African American basketball pioneers.
Cover art for the upcoming new book, “BLACK FIVES: The Alpha Physical Culture Club’s Pioneering African American Basketball Team, 1904-1923.”
This is what several great people say (below) about Claude Johnson’s new book, “BLACK FIVES: The Alpha Physical Culture Club’s Pioneering African American Basketball Team, 1904-1923.”
The 102-page book is the first in a series detailing the pre-NBA history of African American basketball pioneers during a period known as the Black Fives Era.
This first entry in the series is about the Alpha Physical Culture Club of Harlem, the country’s first all-black athletic club, whose efforts led to the creation of the New York Renaissance a.k.a. “Harlem Rens,” the first black-owned, fully professional African American basketball team.
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Praise for Claude Johnson
“Claude Johnson has gone to the front of the class as the eminent historian of the Black Fives Era.”
— Howie Evans, Senior Sports Editor, New York Amsterdam News
“Execute a swift give-and-go. ‘Give’ the Black Fives Era some respect, and ‘go’ buy this book.”
— Ron Thomas, Author of “They Cleared the Lane: The NBA’s Black Pioneers,”
Director of the Journalism and Sports Program at Morehouse College
“Nobody knows more, or has done more, to retrieve the long forgotten history of African-Americans in basketball in the decades before the racial integration of the NBA than Claude Johnson. Anybody who cares about sport or this society would be well served by spending time with these stories.”
— Rob Ruck, Author of “Sandlot Seasons” and “Raceball:
How the Major Leagues Colonized the Black and Latin Game,”
Historian, Senior Lecturer at the University of Pittsburgh
“Claude Johnson brings to this book not only the foremost knowledge of the Black Fives Era, but also a genuine passion and a clear understanding … in these previously untold stories.”
— Keith Houlemard, President of the Jordan Brand at Nike, Inc.
“Claude Johnson’s work holds the power of revelation.”
— Dave Zirin, Author of “The John Carlos Story: The Sports Moment That Changed The World” and “A People’s History of Sports in the United States,”
Politics of Sports columnist for Nation Magazine
“The great Claude Johnson has spent the past several years chronicling the lost contributions of African-Americans to professional basketball before the NBA …”
— David Aldridge, Reporter for TNT, NBA-TV, and NBA.com
“As a longtime supporter of his BlackFives.com website and blog, I’ve been able to sense [Claude’s] dedication, and passion, for sharing the undocumented history of our beloved sport for years as a voice from within the community, not outside of it.”
— Bobbito Garcia, author of “Where’d You Get Those?
New York City’s Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987”
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Among many fascinating and surprising facts, the book reveals for the first time how extensively West Indian immigrants controlled black basketball during its early days.
The book includes a foreword by world renowned D.J., sneaker aficionado, publisher, voiceover artist, television personality, record label owner, writer, radio host, M.C, author, and film director Bobbito García.
The ebook version of this book is available in popular formats (i.e., Kindle, Nook, iBook, SONY Reader, Kobo Reader).
The print version of the book is also available on Amazon.
Also check updates via our Twitter feed (@blackfives), our Facebook fan page (Facebook/BlackFives) as well as via the author’s Twitter feed (@claudejohnson).
Please donate. Your generous tax-deductible donation helps the Black Fives Foundation use this history to teach life lessons relevant today! Thank you!
Congratulations, Claude on yet another HUGE accomplishment!
I can’t wait to read the book!
Do you know or have you heard of “Sonny Hill”? He is a native Philadelphian who is a former baller in Philly and he is a consultant to the 76ers and leads a sports radio talk fest on Sunday mornings in the Philadelphia area. He often speaks of the basketball legends of yester year in the Philadelphia area in addition to relevant chatter about the 76ers, Phillies and Eagles. I don’t hear to much discussion about the Flyers on his show. Anyway, I’d like to buy a book and get it autographed for Sonny. I used to see him frequently when Luke and I were 76ers season ticket holders! We did not think the Sixers were going to be entertaining this year, and did not buy tickets! We are thrilled that they are doing so well. I know where Sonny’s office is in West Philly so I would make arrangements to deliver it to him. Our sons attended the summer basketball camp that he held along with John Chaney YEARS ago, so that is where I first met Sonny.
Best of luck on the series!
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make sure i get the hard copy with your signature–the boy wonder john i must have a big smile on his face–john you and i have share some wonderful moments–peace and luv –basket ball belongs to us…
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What a wonderful bit of Black History to learn! Thanks for sharing & keeping this rich history alive!
Best,
Coretta Jackson, MBA
@CorettaJackson
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We look forward to a great read and passing on the historical contents of your book to our youth – Congrats !
By the way, we have a great story for you if you’re interested for your next book -
Regards,
Tony & Deborah Nelson
CT – SC ’12
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Thank you Tony! I hope you enjoy it!
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If you would like your book, BLACK FIVES, displayed in the North American Society for Sport History Book Display, at Berkeley, California, June 1-4, 2012, please send a copy to:
Ronald A. Smith, NASSH Secretary-Treasurer
Box 1026, 121 Dale Street
Lemont, PA 16851-1026
I have been putting together a book display for NASSH since 1973. Each participant gets a copy of the books displayed, including author, title, publisher, address, and price. We also put the display list on our NASSH website: nassh.org.
We would like to have your book displayed. Thanks. Ron Smith
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Dear Ron,
I would love to do that and will send a copy out today. I might even sneak out there to attend some sessions, if I am able.
Thank you!
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Greetings Claude:
Congratulations on your quest to perpetuate the legacy of the ‘true root’ of our athletic prowess in basketball and all sports. This gift is desire, which rings true in all competitions be they the schoolyard, intramural, college or the pros. The games have produced the household names like Michael, Kobe and LeBron as well as thousand of lesser known and otherwise forgotten players whose feats never made the record books yet were part of each player’s development.
As an independent publisher based in Atlanta, GA I am in the process of gathering research on the players, coaches and teams of the former all-black high schools who when merged into the Georgia Athletic Assn, their records where not accepted as part of the State Athletic history.
Also, by now I’m sure you have heard about the passing of NBA referee Ken Hudson, a true pioneer and mentor to youth. Ken founded the Boston Shoot-out and supported its growth to at one time 22,000 kids off the streets and on the courts. He levered his relationship with Coca-Cola to get sponsorship and the Shootout became a ten city annual competition and was the precursor to the McDonald’s High School All American tournament.
I am honored to have been Ken’s publisher of his biography titled “A Tree Stump in the Valley of Redwoods: Achieving Success In Sports and In Life”. Ken was a special personality and a great friend.
Congratulations again.
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[...] a book of his own: 62 pages of text, 51 footnotes and more than 30 photographs. The book, “Black Fives: The Alpha Physical Culture Club’s Pioneering African American Basketball Team, 1904-1923,” [...]
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