Henderson, Edwin Bancroft

Impact on the world

After learning basketball during summer sessions at Harvard, Henderson introduced the game to segregated Black schools and YMCAs in Washington, D.C. starting in 1904, planting the seed that grew into the broader 'Black Fives' era of all-Black professional basketball teams across the country.

Life & background

An educator in Washington, D.C., Henderson learned basketball while attending summer sessions at Harvard University studying physical education, then returned home to introduce the game to Black students in segregated schools beginning in 1904. His efforts helped the sport spread up the East Coast through YMCAs and athletic clubs, planting the foundation for the Black Fives era of professional basketball that followed.

Sources

1. Black Fives Foundation; The Story of the Black Fives Era (Erica Blackburn)