VIDEO: Kareem Abdul Jabbar Visits Blair


March 2, 2011, 6:50 p.m. | By Eli Schwadron | 13 years ago

The Harlem Renaissance Big Five is "the greatest basketball team you've never heard of."



The Harlem Renaissance Big Five is "the greatest basketball team you've never heard of."

NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar visited Blair on the morning of Monday Feb. 14 to screen a video clip from his new documentary, "On The Shoulders of Giants," the story of the Big Five, commonly known as the Harlem Rens. After the 15-minute clip, the NBA's all-time scoring leader answered audience questions and stressed the importance of pursuing a college education.

The film, released on Feb. 15 on Video On Demand, delves into the inspiring story of the Rens, an all-black team that faced the obstacle of racial segregation in pro basketball during the Harlem Renaissance. Abdul-Jabbar was born and raised in Harlem, and explained that he wanted the film to portray a crucial aspect of his city's history that so many have forgotten. "For many Americans, there was a place called Harlem, and some good things happened there," he said. "But they don't really understand how it affected the national culture. By doing this film, I have an opportunity to put it in context and show how black Americans were striving in every field, including athletics, to be dealt with as equal citizens."

Check out video from KAJ's visit, including his introduction, post-screening Q & A session, exclusive interview with SCO and meet-and-greet with the basketball program.



Tags: Video Basketball

Eli Schwadron. Eli (@eschwad) is a chill guy who likes to play basketball, watch TV and eat. More »

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