Category Archives: Vol 2: Race, History, Change, and Social Activism: Baseball’s Impact on America

2023 Vol 2: Race, History, Change, and Social Activism: Baseball's Impact on America

Race & Baseball: The Daily Life, Social Activism, and Statistical Impact of the Negro Leagues

Timothy Wells, 7th Grade Social Studies, Alexander Graham Middle School

Curriculum Unit (PDF)

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Synopsis: The 1940s to 1960s marked a transformative era for race and baseball in the United States, with significant strides in civil rights and social activism intersecting with the sport. During this period, the Negro Leagues played a pivotal role in providing African American players with a platform to showcase their talents, as segregation barred them from Major League Baseball. The Negro Leagues was laced with a rich history and traditions on the mainstream icons like Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947 when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, challenging racial prejudices and becoming a symbol of integration. The 1950s witnessed increasing racial tension, but players like Robinson, Larry Doby, and Willie Mays became beacons of hope. Beyond the diamond, athletes engaged in social activism, advocating for equality and justice. The 1960s saw a surge in civil rights activism, and baseball players played an active role. The courage of these pioneers in the face of adversity contributed to the broader struggle for racial equality, making the diamond a battleground for societal change during a tumultuous period in American history. In my curriculum unit, my students will undergo the process of deconstructing Race and Baseball on three different fronts: understanding background historical information, daily life, and statistical/financial impact. The goal of this is to gain a full understanding of what happened race and baseball, the significance of the Negro League and what they had to endure.

2023 Vol 2: Race, History, Change, and Social Activism: Baseball's Impact on America

Hidden Baseball: The Legacy of the Negro League

Shannon McFarland, 6th Grade English Language Arts, Alexander Graham Middle School

Curriculum Unit (PDF)

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Synopsis: Students explore the legacy of the Negro League in America, the impact of segregation on American life in the 1920s and 1930s, and write poetry to celebrate the accomplishments of early Black and Latin American baseball players.

2023 Vol 2: Race, History, Change, and Social Activism: Baseball's Impact on America

It’s Up, and It’s All Good: A Comprehensive Review of the Civil Rights Movement through the Lens of the Forgotten Players of Negro League Baseball

Mary McElhaney, Social Studies, Northridge Middle School

Curriculum Unit (PDF)

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Synopsis: The contribution of African American individuals who played a part in helping in the fight to end segregation and the civil rights movement is often understated. While students learn about Jackie Robinson, many hidden figures in the Civil Rights movement existed. Baseball is a perfect example of the hidden figures of the civil rights movement. Each individual in the unit plan has significantly contributed to the moment, rebelling and resisting oppression in their own ways.

The rationale for the unit plan is to create lessons with a circular focus. The unit will demonstrate how baseball themes can intertwine with Social Studies and US History standards. The Unit will incorporate African American baseball lessons into critical historical eras. This unit will function yearly and can be used with existing curricula. The central focus of this unit will be on six individuals: Oscar Charleston, Satchel Page, Moses Fleetwood Walker, John Bud Fowler, Andrew Rube Foster, and Jackie Robinson.

2023 Vol 2: Race, History, Change, and Social Activism: Baseball's Impact on America

The Kansas City Monarchs Impact on Baseball and America While at the Helm of Global Social Change

Lusette Humphrey, 7th Grade, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School

Curriculum Unit (PDF)

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Synopsis: This unit is a focus on the importance of “the power of influence” one has for social change and impact in their respective sports and communities. The power to use influence for social change is big. This is seen across many sports arenas where athletes use their platform to bring social change that is needed in some or all parts of the world. There are several athletes such as Colin Kapernick, Lebron James, Naomi Osaika can be seen using their level of influence to bring change to their respective causes. In the past we have athletes like Jacki Robinson, Roberto Clemente, and Rube Foster as lead change agents of their time.

2023 Vol 2: Race, History, Change, and Social Activism: Baseball's Impact on America

America’s Favorite Pastime: Analyzing the Cultural and Political Impact of the Negro National League

Jazmyne Capel, 3rd Grade, Billingsville-Cotswold Elementary School

Curriculum Unit (PDF)

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Synopsis: In this unit students will explore and critically think about how race, access (or lack thereof) to resources, and legislation have impacted society through the lens of baseball. While examining these historical events, students will learn that the impacts of said events can be both positive and negative, and that there is more than one perspective on most stories. To drive student inquiry, the essential question this unit is based around is “How does the past influence the present?” Utilizing past and modern literature on the subject, historical artifacts, and local and national events, students will expand their critical thinking and enhance their knowledge of various topics. Topics including but not limited to, national and local baseball history, how African American players and players of color have influenced policy and politics, how Baseball is played globally, and women’s influence in the sport. Generally, this unit guides students on an exploration about historical events that have impacted our community, state, nation, and even the world. This unit aligns with the North Carolina Social Studies standards of explaining the lasting impact historical events have had on local communities. Another aligned North Carolina Social Studies standard is the use of primary and secondary sources to compare multiple interpretations of various historical symbols and events in local communities. Students will use their student notebook to take notes and complete daily exit tickets that will serve as knowledge checkpoints.

2023 Vol 2: Race, History, Change, and Social Activism: Baseball's Impact on America

Stand Tall, Talk Small, Play Ball!

Genitia Johnson, 1st Grade, Huntingtowne Farms Elementary School

Curriculum Unit (PDF)

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Synopsis: In this unit students will learn the history of baseball and the impact in America. The students will learn about the Negro League and the impact of Black History. The unit will allow students to learn history concepts while learning literacy. Students will use read aloud stories, songs, and gestures to learn skills. They will have a better opportunity to use their problem-solving skills and make connections. They will also learn to use nonfiction text features. The lessons will also include movement, music, gestures, and hands-on experiences.

2023 Vol 2: Race, History, Change, and Social Activism: Baseball's Impact on America

Decline in an Era of Social Progress: Why African Americans are not Engaged with America’s Pastime

Andrew Bartkowiak, African American Studies, East Mecklenburg High School

Curriculum Unit (PDF)

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Synopsis: This Curriculum Unit aims to inform students about the historical origins of African Americans in baseball, while also exploring the more recent phenomenon in baseball about the lack of African American players in the league today. The Unit will begin with a broad overview of the influence of African Americans on the modern happenings of the game, studies of important players and teams from the Negro Leagues, while also focusing on systemic inequities within the game, which are limiting African American access to the sport at its highest levels. The Unit will conclude with students connecting struggles with redlining, urban renewal, and social injustices to reasons why African Americans had structural barriers to entry at the highest levels of baseball. The hope is that students will then chart a path forward to take informed action and take a stand against these injustices to impact change as it relates to African American involvement in baseball.

2023 Vol 2: Race, History, Change, and Social Activism: Baseball's Impact on America

An American Pastime: Exploring How Negro Leagues Baseball Influenced Business and Entrepreneurship

Thomas Murphy, Entrepreneurship and Digital Marketing, Rocky River High School

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Synopsis: This Curriculum Unit aims to inform students about the historical origins of the Negro Leagues formation, while also exploring the many aspects that Negro League baseball paved the way through entrepreneurship and digital marketing. The modules will facilitate ways to discuss and explore in depth how the impact of the Negro Leagues Baseball not only produce top talent, but was extremely vital and impactful in developing community abolitionists, social activists, coaches, managers, business owners, entrepreneurs, while showcasing some of the greatest baseball players to ever play the game. The Negro Leagues should also be credited with creating some of the greatest money-making barnstorming events in the history of not only for the Negro Leagues but in all of baseball during that time. It’s speculated that many opportunities were missed to integrate baseball. Clearly, MLB remained silent and fostered unspoken recognized success of the Negro Leagues avoiding the need to bridge a working relationship but continue its greed in capitalizing on the lucrative ways to sustain the Negro Leagues enterprises to maintain massive paydays achieved during this time. The main objectives of this study will be centered on challenging students to witness the ongoing development throughout history by reflecting on the eyewitness accounts that fostered personal and community growth in the wake of segregation. My goals for the students are to aid them in exploring the Negro Leagues through the various readings and resources to identify the valuable contribution of these legends who were entrenched in the struggles of segregation. Many of these players only wanted to make an honest living by simply seeking to be accepted on their merit in their communities. By the end of this study students will be able to answer if the Negro Leagues were political.