An exciting new traveling exhibition, “Pride and Passion: The African-American Baseball Experience,” will open at the Natrona County Public Library on Thursday, November 12.  The exhibition traces the history of African-American baseball players from the reconstruction period following the civil war through the days when baseball was a segregated sport, until Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947.

The colorful freestanding panels feature photographs of teams, players, original documents and artifacts in the collections of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and in other institutions and collections across the U.S. Visitors will learn about legendary figures such as Rube Foster, Buck Leonard, James “Cool Papa” Bell, and Satchel Paige as well as the powerhouse negro league teams that paved the way for integration of the leagues in the 1950s.

“We are delighted to have been selected as a site for this exhibition,” said Kate Mutch, Public Service Librarian at the Natrona County Library.  “Players in the Negro leagues were some of the most talented and inspiring sports figures of their day. The exhibition tells many remarkable stories of players and teams who were shut out of major league baseball, but persevered in a sport they loved.”

“Pride and Passion: The African-American Baseball Experience” will be on display at the library until January 15 and is available for viewing during regular library hours.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and the American Library Association Public Programs Office organized the traveling exhibition, which was made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: great ideas brought to life.  The traveling exhibition is based upon an exhibition of the same name on permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Click here for more information about the exhibit.

Events to be held in conjuction with the exhibit:

Opening Reception – November 12 at 6:30 pm
Meet Mack A. Pride, Jr., who played baseball with the Memphis Red Sox and the Kansas City Monarchs.

Meet Jackie Robinson – November 18 at 6:30 pm
Actor Gregory Gibson Kenney will give a dramatic portrayal of Jackie Robinson's life.

Up Close with the Players – December 10 at 6:30 pm
Hear the stories of former Negro League players Heron O’Neal and Johnny Washington (Chicago American Giants and New Orleans/Houston Eagles).