As we begin Black History Month, it is important to reflect on the triumphs the African-American community has overcome. When people think of Black activists who pioneered civil rights, the mind often drifts to Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, or Rosa Parks.

While those names are what immediately come to mind- hundreds of thousands have fought to get to where we are today. Some of the biggest battles of desegregation happened not on the streets, not on a bus, but on the courts.

Before the Civil Rights movement, African-American basketball players were fighting for their space in the sport. This was ‘The Black Fives era.’ “Fives” refers to the starting five players on the team, and “Black Fives” was used to describe an all-Black team early in its history.

The era began in 1904, only 13 years after basketball was invented. Basketball was introduced to the Black community by Edwin Bancroft Henderson, a physical educator working in Washington D.C.. He discovered the game during a summer session at Harvard University.

Soon, organized teams began to form. The first was the Smart Set Athletic Club of Brooklyn- which was formed in 1907.

More teams began to assemble throughout the East Coast. The St. Christopher Club and Alpha Physical Culture Club in Harlem, New York City, the Washington 12 Streeters in Washington D.C., and the Monticello Athletic Association in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania were some of the first teams.

These teams faced many conflicts as they attempted to ball. Often, gymnasiums were white-owned and barred the teams from playing, so The Black Fives were forced to be creative.

Games were played in church basements, armories, dance ballrooms, and even the rooftop of a department store. The creativity bled into more than just the location.

Events with music and dance were often hosted before and after games. This paired with the age of jazz, which was also helping empower the Black community.

While the events were fun, the basketball played introduced a new style of play. Described as “run and gun,” the games were reportedly more fast-paced and exciting compared to the more structured and deliberate style of White games.

A previous marketing executive of the NBA and creator of the nonprofit “Black Fives Foundation”, Claude Johnson, claims the constant movement of today’s basketball was born in the Black Fives Era. He says the pick-and-roll and the goal of freeing up outside shooters were generated in these leagues.

This intense gameplay drew large interracial crowds and ticket sales skyrocketed in the early 1920s. The Black Fives were helping dissolve social stigmas that African Americans were lesser people.

However, the Black Fives were not removed from discrimination of the 1900s. Constant racism was present in their daily lives, belittling their drive to play.

That was not their only challenge. The few teams had to travel long distances to play, racking up expenses. Although, the teams persisted through this all to fight for title of the “Coloured Basketball World’s Champion.”

Coined by Lester Walton, a sports editor of the New York Age, the “Coloured Basketball World’s Champion” was not a title earned from winning a tournament.

The honor was granted to a team based on a collaborated consensus of some of the most prominent Black sportswriters who covered basketball.

During the Black Fives Era, the Harlem Rens are credited as being the most successful team. They were the first all-Black professional team that was owned and founded by an African American. His name is Robert Douglas.

The Rens had an astounding win percentage of 83% of their 3,127 games played. Many of their matchups were with white teams.

Their on-court dominance got them an invite to the first World Professional Basketball Tournament in 1938- which was held in Chicago. The tournament included 10 of the best all-white teams and the Harlem Globetrotters, another all-Black team.

The Harlem Rens ended up winning the tournament, which was a huge victory on the court and for the African-American community.

Many players at this time were becoming stars that helped break down stereotypes. Players such as Runt Pullins, Dick "Night Train" Lane, and Pop Gates were highly skilled. These players helped to break down prejudices about African-American athletes and prove that they were just as talented and capable as their white counterparts.

When the NBA launched in 1946, they began as a Whites-only league. However, the impact of the African-American community was clear and it would not take long for integration.

Only four years later, the segregation of the league was dispersed, and Black players could join. This was an era of pioneers.

Chuck Cooper was the first Black player selected in the NBA Draft. The first player to sign an NBA contract was Nathanial “Sweetwater” Clifton. And Earl Lloyd was the first Black player to compete in an NBA game.

The color barrier in the NBA was broken, which opened the door for generations of Black players to make basketball what it is today.

This era of The Black Fives was a significant chapter in the history of the sport and a reflection of the larger struggle for equality and civil rights in America. These teams and players helped to break down the barriers of segregation in basketball.

They demonstrated that African-American athletes were just as talented and capable as their white counterparts, and their success and popularity helped to create a demand for more diversity in all sports.

Nonprofits like the “Black Fives Foundation” are raising awareness of this largely unknown era of basketball. The legacy of the Black Fives lives on, as their contributions to the sport and the African-American community are increasingly being recognized and celebrated.

The Black Fives era serves as a reminder of the importance of diversity and inclusion in sports, and the role that sports can play in promoting social justice and equality in our society. This era was a significant chapter in the history of basketball, as well as a reflection of the larger struggle for equality and civil rights in America.