NEW YORK – For a third consecutive season, the BIG EAST Conference will celebrate Black History month by renewing its partnership with the Black Fives Foundation, a nonprofit public charity whose mission is to inspire excellence by preserving, teaching and honoring the pre-NBA history of African Americans in basketball.  
 
For 22 games, the BIG EAST Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams will be wearing shooting shirts with the Black Fives mantra “Make History Now”. Women’s basketball coaches will wear “Make History Now” lapel pins and men’s basketball coaches will wear lapel pins that recognize the 100 Year Anniversary of the Black Fives Era’s most prolific team, the New York Rens. 
 
Black basketball teams, known as Black Fives, were prevalent from 1904 through 1950 when the game, like society, was racially segregated.  The men and women of the Black Fives Era opened doors for generations of African American basketball players, coaches, and contributors while staging culturally rich, socially meaningful events that strengthened and inspired Black communities, many of which are situated within the footprint of BIG EAST schools.
 
“We look forward to amplifying the stories of the pioneers who made history in our school communities and celebrating their enduring impact on the game of basketball. Our role as educators, our basketball-centric identity and our commitment to diversity and inclusion combine to provide the perfect platform for us to assist the Black Fives Foundation in furthering their mission, and we are honored to continue our partnership this season.” said BIG EAST Commissioner, Val Ackerman. 
This year’s partnership will begin with an educational webinar entitled “Basketball and Dance: The Business of Black Fives Basketball” led by Founder of the Black Fives Foundation and award-winning author, Claude Johnson. BIG EAST basketball players, coaches and staff will hear about the groundbreaking strategies between basketball, entertainment (music and dance), the Harlem Renaissance and other business innovations that not only left an enduring impact on the Black Fives legacy but have also become an integral part of a modern-day fan engagement. 
 
“We are excited about partnering with the BIG EAST Conference again this season,” said Claude Johnson, Executive Director of the Black Fives Foundation. “This partnership provides an ideal opportunity for us to inspire excellence through the stories of the pioneers whose contributions helped shape the sport of basketball we know and love today. Bringing greater awareness to this history will be especially meaningful through the thought leadership of the BIG EAST Conference, whose member schools are among the finest academic institutions in the world."

For a full list of games and more information on the Black Fives Foundation, fans can visit www.bigeast.com/blackfives or follow on Twitter and Instagram at @BIGEAST.