For the fourth February in a row, the Kansas City Royals Foundation is sponsoring free admission to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) for all who want to visit.
The partnership, which is in honor of Black History Month, helped the museum welcome more than 16,000 visitors during February last year.
UMKC Assistant Professor Antonio Byrd believes that the museum’s promotion of Black history in sports is significant because it represents a different narrative about Black experiences in the United States.
“The dominant narrative about Black bodies in history is one of enslavement,” said Byrd. “Black history in sports re-writes that image of enslaved Black people and shows another avenue where Black bodies have achieved incredible physical feats.”
Byrd believes that by removing an economic barrier to knowledge about Black history, the Royals are showing they have a responsibility to the Kansas City Metro area.
“They are participating in educating the public about something that is core to American history: the contributions of Black people amidst segregation,” said Byrd.
The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is the only museum in the world that is dedicated to preserving African American baseball history.
In 1991, the museum was operating out of a one-room office space. Under the leadership of late chairman John “Buck” O’Neil, the NLBM moved into the heart of Kansas City’s historic 18th and Vine jazz district in 1997.
O’Neil served as both first baseman and manager of the Kansas City Monarchs and went on to become the first African American coach in Major League Baseball.
Kudzai Mazhou, sophomore nursing major and president of The African-American Student Union, said her experience attending the museum recently “felt like stepping into a whole new world and really feeling the weight of what the players went through.”
Mazhou believes the museum’s work is crucial because it immortalizes the sacrifices and victories of the trailblazers it commemorates while inspiring future generations to follow in their footsteps.
“We need to remember and celebrate these stories,” said Mazhou. “Because they inspire us to continue pushing for equality and representation in every arena, whether it’s on the field, in the classroom, or in life.”
Byrd also believes the museum offers an important lesson to future generations of Black athletes.
“If they become professionals, they don’t just have a job, and they’re not just role models,” said Byrd. “They belong to a long line of Black athletes that continue a tradition of countering the narratives of racism.”
From now until the end of the month, visitors can attend the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and experience the history of Negro Leagues Baseball free of charge.
