Black History Month Feature: The Emergence and Legacy of African American Basketball National Conference (Program Brochure)

Black Basketball Has Strong Roots in the District

Image Source: Tinner Hill Heritage
Foundation

Dr. Edwin Bancroft Henderson, a native Washingtonian, graduated from Harvard University's School of Physical Training in 1904. Upon his return to the Capital, he became the athletic director for the city's segregated African American school system for which he founded the first school athletic league. Henderson's players met at the 12th Street YMCA founded by Anthony Bowen. Henderson believed that basketball would help African American youth gain a measure of equality by building character and providing a path to higher education. In 1910, Henderson encouraged Howard University to accept his 12th Street YMCA squad as their first varsity basketball team. By the 1940s, largely due to Henderson's extremely competitive and popular athletic league, Washington, DC was widely recognized as the birthplace and hub of black basketball

Henderson's contribution to civil rights was not limited to the basketball court, The Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by Henderson's descendants in Farifax, Virginia. The organization's primary mission is to recognize Henderson and Joseph Tinner's fight to deter segregated housing in Fairfax County, and their founding of the precursor organization to the first rural branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Persons.


Last year, Tinner Hill applied for a DC Community Heritage Project grant from the Humanities Council of Washington, DC to help fund a conference on the history of black basketball in the District. The event was held on November 12th , 2010 and featured such notable basketball figures as Earl Lloyd and Dave Bing. The Humanities Council funded the accompanying publication that surveyed the history of E.B. Henderson and his “12th Streeters.” The brochure is part of the DC Digital Museum, and can be viewed here (click on the links in the description).

Check out the informative publication to learn more about Dr. Henderson and black basketball in Washington, DC and let us know your thoughts by commenting on this post.