Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) have implemented a new digital and social media campaign to support the Negro Leagues 101 initiative led by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM).
Beginning Friday, 25 June, 101 facts about the Negro Leagues will be shared daily until Sunday, 3 October, the last day of the 2021 MLB Regular Season, to commemorate the 101st anniversary of the establishment of the Negro Leagues. Each day’s fact will be unveiled by a Major League Player, Legend, youth baseball or softball player, or general representative of Baseball.
A dedicated landing page and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum social media platform (@NLBMuseumKC) will be the primary sources of the content.
The educational initiative led by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and called Negro Leagues 101, includes a series of programmes, lectures, and events along with a bevy of exciting virtual learning experiences that includes a virtual tour of the NLBM.
"The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is thrilled to have the support of Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association to help amplify this important educational initiative," said Bob Kendrick, NLBM President. "I don’t think there was ever a time that people didn’t want to know about the Negro Leagues. They just simply had no way to know about this rich history because it has never been fully documented in the pages of American History books. Our goal is to provide even greater access to this incredible chapter of baseball and Americana."
With the launch of the facts campaign, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum also is unveiling its Negro Leagues 101 logo. It will become the permanent symbol for all NLBM educational programmes and initiatives, including the development of an Introduction to the Negro Leagues 101 college-level course.
"We are proud to join the MLBPA in support of the Negro Leagues 101 educational initiative," said Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred. "The Negro Leagues is a story of excellence and resiliency by individuals who accomplished extraordinary feats in the face of bigotry and discrimination. Educating our fans and the public about this history will continue to be a priority for Major League Baseball in our continued support of Bob Kendrick and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum."
"A full understanding of Baseball includes knowing the history and legacy of the men and women in the Negro Leagues who paved the way for so many of us," MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark said. "I commend the Museum for its commitment to preserve, celebrate and educate the public through this campaign and am glad that we can help raise awareness along with Major League Baseball."
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