African American
Related: About this forumYoung Ballclub Barnstorms The Deep South
By: Jessica Ravitz; Brad Pechanec
Posted: Sat 4:39 PM, Jul 25, 2015
... For half a year, Coach Steve Bandura gathered the group at their South Philly rec center for weekly movie nights. They watched historical dramas like "Roots," "Glory" and "The Tuskegee Airmen." They tackled documentaries including "Freedom Riders," "4 Little Girls" and "Eyes on the Prize."
"If you don't understand slavery, you can't understand the civil rights movement. And if you don't understand the civil rights movement, you can't understand Ferguson or Baltimore," says Coach Steve, who's white.
What he and his ballplayers couldn't have imagined is how relevant their trip would become. Just hours after their bus rolled out of Philadelphia on June 17, a white gunman strolled into a Bible study at a historic Charleston, South Carolina, black church and killed nine worshippers, including the pastor. All evidence indicates that the shooter was motivated by racism, which is why he is now facing federal hate crime charges.
"It's not ancient history. Just because laws have changed doesn't mean people's attitudes have changed," says Bandura, 54. "Charleston drove that home. The first thing the kids said was, 'It's Birmingham all over again'" ...
http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/Scoring-Runs-And-Catching-History-Young-Ballclub-Barnstorms-The-Deep-South-318540421.html
NBachers
(17,007 posts)struggle4progress
(118,041 posts)SusanCalvin
(6,592 posts)What a great coach.
And what a great pic - I'm hugging the Kindle, since it's the best I can do.
OMG, OMG! The Kindle is fighting me on copy-and-paste, but! There was a female player in the Negro Leagues, and that's her on the right! I did not know. Call me overly emotional, but I am blubbering right now.
SusanCalvin
(6,592 posts)Downwinder
(12,869 posts)If it is Xposted I'll rec it again.
SusanCalvin
(6,592 posts)Downwinder
(12,869 posts)Tarheel_Dem
(31,211 posts)the story of Mamie "Peanut" Johnson. A female pitcher in the Negro Leagues? This is why I love DU (SOMETIMES).
Each hit Lewis takes feels personal to them. Just a week earlier, they'd met the civil rights leader-turned-congressman in his Washington, D.C. office.
"I would fight back," says a second teen.
"But then they'd kill you and your family," the first one answers, eyes wide with concern.
What a wonderful history lesson for these aspiring teens.
SusanCalvin
(6,592 posts)Exactly.
SusanCalvin
(6,592 posts)If you don't understand history (the unexpurgated version), you don't understand this country.
SusanCalvin
(6,592 posts)This story made my day.
Maybe at a more visible time - my few OPs kinda sank due at least in part to bad timing.
Anyway, thank you so much!
struggle4progress
(118,041 posts)SusanCalvin
(6,592 posts)So very much.
SusanCalvin
(6,592 posts)I think I got it in too late. I was advised weekday AM was best. Will kick GD in AM. This story made me so happy. Thank you so much.
rbrnmw
(7,160 posts)Skittles
(152,965 posts)yes indeed
JustAnotherGen
(31,683 posts)Thanks for this - Great story!