PROMO: '47's New Gear Continues Its Tribute to the Black Fives Era

Paying homage to brave athletes who broke many barriers.

Black Fives 1
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Black Fives 1

The NBA we know today is a diverse league with a rich and talented African-American presence. But that wasn’t always the case. Prior to 1950, when the sport was finally integrated, there simply were no African-Americans in the NBA.

But while black players weren’t represented in the pros, they were still there, playing in makeshift leagues that started popping up across the country in school gyms, churchyards, parking lots, and YMCAs. Over time, an all-black league started to take shape consisting of club teams that became known as the “Black Fives”—a reference to the number of players a team has on the court at one time.

The passion of the players and the intense excitement of an ever-growing fan base across the nation gradually became too big too ignore. Through their efforts and dedication, the Black Fives helped chip away at basketball’s racial divide until the NBA realized it really had no choice but to integrate. Without the Black Fives and those who supported them, it’s anyone’s guess what the sport of basketball would look like today.

'47 has continually honored the Black Fives Era with a series of exclusive collections, and this month will drop its newest Black Five gear. Partnering with the Black Fives Foundation, which was formed to educate people about the era and preserve the legacies of its players, '47’s newest collection has a message that is as simple as it is powerful: Make history now. That’s what the Black Fives players did, starting over a century ago, so it’s the least we can all do to honor them.

You can get a glimpse at the new '47 Black Fives Era collection in the photos below. And to check out an interview we did about the Black Fives with the Brooklyn Nets' Sean Kilpatrick, click here.

Sean Kilpatrick V3
Black Fives 2
SK Vertical 1

 

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