Celebrating Black History Month: New York Renaissance, first professional African-American basketball team

In the first decades of the twentieth century, when black athletes were barred from professional sports, Robert Douglas founded and organized the New York Renaissance, the first all-black professional basketball team February 13, 1923.  He managed an agreement with William Roach, who owned the New Renaissance Ballroom and Casino, to allow the team to practice there.

The New York Ren played its first game on November 3, 1923 and they beat the Collegiate Five, an all-white team 28-22. They played until the last game in 1949.  The NBA had been created by that time.

The Rens team was in ducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1963.