Stories From the Negro Leagues Shown at BSU

By D. Thompson

“Undeniable,” a Major League Baseball (MLB) original animated series of three short films about stories from the Negro Leagues, will be shown at Bowie State to educate viewers on the history of the leagues and how they affected professional baseball. The short films will be shown on Thursday, February 23, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the Fine and Performing Arts Center’s Main Stage followed by a panel discussion.

The three films are MLB’s first animated series and an integral component of the organization’s effort to exalt and acknowledge the contributions of the old Negro Leagues’ to baseball during Black History Month. “Undeniable” is the result of a collaboration between MLB, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and co-directors Justin Polk, founder of Invisible Collective, a full-service advertisng/production company, and Carl Jones, founder of Martian Blueberry, an animation studio.

“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to show MLB’s Undeniable to our students and the community,” said Professor Tewodross Melchishua Williams, chair of the Fine and Performing Arts Department at Bowie State. “These animated short films will bring history to life and inform everyone about the important role the Negro Leagues played in professional baseball.”

Negro League baseball became increasingly popular in the Black community following the Civil War and the advent of segregation and baseball. Organized baseball forbid Blacks from being members of teams and in 1920, the Negro National League began playing baseball. The teams included the Chicago American Giants, Chicago Giants, Cuban Stars, Dayton Marcos, Detroit Stars, Kansas City Monarchs, Indianapolis ABCs and the St. Louis Giants.

Noted Negro League players included Larry Doby, Roy Campanella, Junior Gilliam, Donald Newcombe, Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Monte Irvin and Satchel Paige, who all went on to play for MLB teams. Many of them have been inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. A few women also played baseball with the men. They are not household names but Mamie Johnson, Connie Morgan and Toni Stone were the only Black women to play in the Negro Leagues.

Following the screening of the films, executives from MLB will participate in a panel discussion with students about “Undeniable” and the types of employment opportunities available for students to consider.

“I’m also looking forward to our students being able to speak with co-directors Justin Polk and Carl Jones about how they created the animation for “Undeniable,” particularly since our stop-motion animation studio opened a few weeks ago,” said Professor Williams.