Beyond the Scoreboard: The Baltimore Black Sox and the Negro Leagues' Civil Rights Legacy
Saturday, February 21, 2026 | 12pm – 3 pm | Cost: Free Program (Limited Free Tickets Available.)
Join the Reginald F. Lewis Museum and community partners for a panel discussion celebrating the legacy of the Baltimore Black Sox, one of Baltimore’s historic Negro League baseball teams, and their impact on the Civil Rights Movement. Explore how these athletes navigated a segregated society, where “separate but not equal” defined life both on and off the field, and learn about their lasting influence on their communities and the fight for equality. After the discussion, visitors can participate in preservation workshops on family genealogy and celebrate community traditions, including baseball and family celebrations.
Featured Speakers:
Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead, President, Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH); Founding Executive Director, The Karson Institute for Race, Peace, & Social Justice
Jana Brooks, great grandniece of Black Sox player Leon Day
Dr. Milbert Brown, Jr., artist, photojournalist, and author
Sean Gibson, the Executive Director of the Josh Gibson Foundation; Great-grandson of Negro League player Josh Gibson
Kelly Elaine Navies, Museum Specialist, Oral History Initiative, National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)
Damion Thomas, Supervisory Museum Curator, National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)
Partnership | This program is presented in partnership with Parks & People and the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership as part of the Baltimore Black Sox Memorial project. It also aligns with the ASALH (Association for the Study of African American Life and History) Black History 2026 theme: A Century of Black History Commemorations.
Parks & People, in partnership with the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, is leading the creation of the Baltimore Black Sox Memorial in Westport. Founded in 1913, the Baltimore Black Sox began playing in Westport in 1917 as part of the Negro Leagues. The Memorial will celebrate the team’s legacy and contributions to Baltimore’s African American history and baseball culture.
This project is part of Reimagine Middle Branch, a community-driven initiative led by the City of Baltimore, South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, and Parks & People, working alongside a team of expert consultants, stakeholders, and Baltimoreans. This initiative celebrates African American culture through equitable development and implementation of the Reimagine Middle Branch Plan.
For more information, please visit, ReimagineMB.com
