Willie Foster and Young Fans by Kadir Nelson

  • “Willie Foster and Young Fans” by Kadir Nelson

Thanks to exhibits at two venues — Laman Public Library in North Little Rock and the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center in Little Rock — now is a good time to learn more about the Negro Leagues, through historic photographs and contemporary art.

Advertisement

Mosaic Templars, at 9th and Broadway, opens the exhibit “Shades of Greatness,” 34 works by artists asked to use the leagues as inspiration, on Friday. It will host a reception from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. that evening with special guest William “Youngblood” McCrary, who played with the Kansas City Monarchs and was a teammate of Jackie Robinson, the player who broke the color barrier. There will be music by Michael Eubanks and “baseball inspired refreshments,” the museum press release said. The exhibition is on loan from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Mo.

At Laman, 2801 Orange St., is “Discover Greatness: An Illustrated History of Negro Baseball Leagues,” also from the Missouri museum. It features photographs telling the story of African-American baseball from the 19th century to 1947. The show runs through Aug. 24.

Advertisement

50 years of fearless reporting and still going strong

Be a part of something bigger and join the fight for truth by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times. For 50 years, our progressive, alternative newspaper in Little Rock has been tackling powerful forces through our tough, determined, and feisty journalism. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 email subscribers, it's clear that our readers value our commitment to great journalism. But we need your help to do even more. By subscribing or donating – as little as $1 –, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be supporting our efforts to hire more writers and expand our coverage. Take a stand with the Arkansas Times and make a difference with your subscription or donation today.

Previous article The Cotton-pickin’ open line; Pryor gets word in Next article Arrest made in death of woman found on I-440