History

Moises Alou (1989)

All Star outfielder and son of manager Felipe Alou of the San Francisco Giants baseball team. Photos taken in Kinston, NC when Moises was in the minor leagues and playing for the Salem Bucs in the Pittsburgh Pirates' Farm System.

Muhammad Ali

Mr. Ali came to Newark, NJ on July 2, 1974 to be the keynote speaker at the Newark Muslims' Cultural Fair. He would leave for Zaire, Africa in September, where on October 30, 1974 he would knock out George Foreman in the eighth round to win back the Heavyweight Championship in what has become known as the "Rumble in the Jungle".

Muhammad Ali (September 6, 1975)

I took these photos at city hall in Newark, NJ. The lady directly below Ali in one photo is the exciting singer Lola Falana. Ali came from his training camp in Deer Lake, PA for a rally in support of former boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter who was in state prison in Raway, NJ. Hollywood would later make a movie about him called the Hurricane starring Denzel Washington. Ali would leave later that month for Manila, Philippines where on October 1, 1975 he would defeat Joe Frazier in 14 rounds in what became known as the "Thrilla in Manila."

Don King (September 6, 1975) Newark, NJ

Julius "Dr. J" Erving

Julius "Dr. J" Erving is shown playing in the summer league in the famous Harlem Rucker playground in 1974. He was still in the ABA. The other photos were taken in Kinston, NC in 1985. "Dr. J" has been named as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history.

Tuskegee Airmen (Feb. 2003)

This photo is of the Kinston-Goldsboro, NC Chapter of the famous World War II Black Pilots who never lost a bomber that they were assigned to protect. These men would win more than 450 medals by war's end. There would also be a movie made of their exploits. The lady in the picture is the wife of one of the airmen and the group's financial secretary.

Carl Long

Mr. Long played for the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro League. He played with Willie Mays and against Hank Aaron and Charlie Pride in the Negro League. He was the first black baseball player in the Carolina League and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003. Mr. Long was also the first black Deputy Sheriff and Detective for the city of Kinston, along with being the first black commercial bus driver. Each July there is an annual Carl Long Day held for three days in Kinston, NC. Former Negro League players from around the country come to Kinston to also be honored. The climax takes place at Grainger Stadium where they are introduced down on the field before the Kinston Indian's Baseball Game.

Mr. Tide Jackson (July 1975 & July 1978)

Mr. Jackson is the father of soul singer Millie Jackson. In the first photo taken in July 1975 Mr. Jackson is standing on his front porch in Newark, N.J. He is also holding the photographer’s youngest daughter Nyedra. Mr. Jackson was Nyedra’s babysitter prior to my family moving from Newark to North Carolina. The child drinking the soda is the photographers other daughter Necole. Millie’s daughter is the child with her head turned towards Mr. Jackson. The other children are his other grandchildren whose parents were Mr./Mrs. Joe Cobb.

In the second photo taken in July 1978 we are visiting him in his home while we were vacationing from North Carolina.

Rev. Al Sharpton (April 2003)

Political activist and minister in Washington, DC.

Mamie "Peanut" Johnson (1999)

Mrs. Johnson was one of only three women to play in the Negro Leagues and is the only one still living. She was a pitcher and played for 3 years with the Indianapolis Clowns. Her record for those 3 years was 33 wins and 8 losses. Photo taken in Kinston, NC on Carl Long Day. In the photo she is holding a Wheaties Cereal Box which has her picture on it.

Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe (1999)

At Yankee Stadium in 1932 in the first game of a double header, Ted caught Satchel Paige in a 5-0 win. In the second game Radcliffe pitched and won 4-0.. The next day, famed writer, Damon Runyon, wrote in the New York City Newspaper that he was a double duty man and the nickname stuck. At 100 years old Mr. Radcliffe is the oldest living former Negro Leaguer. He played from 1928-1950.

Sherwood Brewer

Played for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro Leagues and managed Ernie "Mr. Cub" Banks on the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League.

Tommy Sampson

Played from 1940-1948 in the Negro League. He also was the man who discovered Willie Mays for the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro League.

Shirlee Taylor Haizlip (Jan. 22, 2004)

This photo was taken at a book signing in Durham, NC. Mrs. Haizlip first appeared on Oprah in 1994 to talk about her best selling book "The Sweeter the Juice." That book dealt with her mother's family who all disappeared when her mother was 4 years old, never to be seen again. They started living as whites. Mrs. Haizlip found her mother's only living sibling, her sister Grace, after 76 years living as a white person. This new book covers the 10 years since her first book. Shirlee said she received 10,000 letters from around the world and in one of the chapters of "Finding Grace", about 75 were printed and this photographer's letter was one those chosen to be printed in the book.

Ms. Dawn Lewis (1988)

Photo taken in Washington, DC. Ms. Lewis was one of the stars of the television show "A Different World". With her is the photographer's daughter.

Earl "the Pearl" Monroe (Jan. 2001)

Photo taken in Durham, NC. Voted as one of the 50 greatest players in the history of the NBA. Mr. Monroe, who is also an NBA Hall of Fame inductee, was in Durham to introduce his college coach, Mr. Clarence "Big House" Gaines at a banquet.

Jayne Kennedy (Kinston, NC 1986)

She was a former actress, TV sportscaster, and the special guest of the Harambee Festival held each July in the City of Kinston.

Buck Leonard (1989)

Mr. Leonard was often called the "Black Lou Gehrig". He teamed up with the great slugger Josh Gibson to form the most powerful one-two punch in the Negro Leagues. He played 17 seasons with the Homestead Grays. With Leonard and Gibson in the lineup, the Grays would at one point win nine consecutive pennants. Mr. Leonard was elected to the Major League (Baseball) Hall of Fame in 1972. Mr. Leonard played professional baseball from 1932 to 1955 (5 seasons in the Mexican League after the Negro League folded in 1950). Mr. Leonard was born Sept. 8, 1907 in Rocky Mount, NC.

Shirley Caesar (Rocky Mount, NC 1999)

Shirley Caesar is a famous gospel singer and pastor.

Adem Schwartz (Kinston, NC 2004)

This photographer met Mr. Schwartz and his family at the Carl Long day in July 2004 in Kinston, NC. Mr. Schwartz who lives in Mission, Kansas told me he was a big fan of the Negro League players. He told me he has gotten more than 100 autographs from former Negro league players. Including autographs from James “Cool Papa’ Bell and Larry Doby, both of whom are in the major league baseball hall of fame, truly, a great fan of the Negro leagues.

G.K. Butterfield

Photos taken in Durham, N.C. 2003 and LaGrange, N.C. 2003 and 2004 at the LaGrange NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet where this photographer serves as branch president.

G.K. Butterfield is a lifelong resident of Wilson, N.C. As an African American he attended segregated schools in Wilson County. He didn’t let that stop him – he let it define him. He went on to North Carolina Central University and graduated with a law degree and became one of the states top civil rights attorneys. In 1988 he was elected the First African American superior Court Judge in Eastern North Carolina. Governor Mike Easley later appointed him to the North Carolina Supreme Court. In July 2004 he was elected to the United States Congress.

Maya Angelou (Durham, NC,  January 25, 2003)

Dr. Maya Angelou is hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature and as a remarkable Renaissance women. She is a poet, educator, historian, best selling author, actress, playwright, civil rights activist, producer, and director who travels around the world making appearances.

Christe Alou (Washington, DC,  September 1987)

Ms. Alou is the daughter of Mr. Felipe Alou who is the manager of the San Francisco Gaints baseball team. She is also the sister of All Star outfielder Moises Alou of the same team. In the second photo she is standing with Ms. Lori Williams (center) and Ms. Necole Washington, this photographer's daughter. They were first year roommates at Howard University. Christe is now an attorney and sports agent. Necole is now a physician whose specialty is pediatrics. I am not aware of what career path Ms. Williams took.