Welcome to BlackFives.com!

Welcome to BlackFives.com !

We strive to be 1) the world’s leading resource and steward for the research, preservation, education, and promotion of the pre-1950 history of African American basketball teams, players, and contributors, whose courage, dedication, and achievements paved the way for the modern game, and 2) the strongest advocates for the efforts of the descendants and fans of these pioneers to have their ancestors and heroes properly recognized.

Black Fives^® are dozens of African American basketball teams that played before the racial integration of the N.B.A., from 1904 through 1950, during a period known as the Black Fives Era^®.

Claude is the founder and C.E.O. of Black Fives, Inc.

With your help we’re bringing these stories back to life, in ways that are relevant today!

“Fives” referred to the five starting players on a basketball team. All-black teams were often known as colored quints, Negro cagers, or “black fives.”

Through research, preservation, promotion, and education, we share the stories and experiences of the pioneers and teams that paved the way for the players and the game as we know them today!

These pioneers were our on-court ancestors; they make up our basketball family tree!

The rules of basketball are different today, and so is society, but the faces haven’t changed. This is our history!

Find out more! Look around!

Start with the hundreds of articles in our blog, or with the trivia section. Or with the team profiles. Or go right to the players‘ section for brief biographies about the stars.

Don’t forget the off-court contributions of coaches, business people, clergy, journalists, and community leaders!

And take a visual journey through our new photo archive which includes customizable photo products!

Or you might simply want to savor our vintage-inspired merchandise!

If you like what you see, please tell your friends, “Like” our fan pages on Facebook, share your comments about articles, and stay in touch by joining our mailing list!

Thank you very much for your interest in BlackFives.com!