This program takes a glimpse at the history of Cleveland and social change during the 1940s and 1950s through the prism of baseball. It will discuss the role the Cleveland Indians may have played in affecting social change in this country.

The Cleveland Indians led the way in the American League with the numbers of African American and Black Latino players on their rosters from 1947 to 1960. Many of those players launched their careers in the Negro Leagues. During 1952 the team led the major leagues in the number of players with 6. From a financial standpoint the team may have identified the Negro fan market (either consciously or unconsciously) because the appearance of players of color brought Negro fans to the ballpark in never-before-seen numbers. In addition, Cleveland was central to several significant civil rights movement events during the era.

For more information on the partners, you can visit our websites:

Community Cup Classic Foundation

Josh Gibson Foundation