Book description
A revealing personal account by the legendary basketball star traces his childhood in Harlem, his professional career, and the pivotal influence of the Harlem Renaissance on black culture in the United States, in a volume that features interview excerpts from Magic Johnson, Quincy Jones, Spike Lee, Sidney Poitier, James Earl…
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1 author picked On the Shoulders of Giants as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
The New York Renaissance Big Five triumphed in the first integrated professional basketball championship of 1939. The story of how they reached the pinnacle of the sport is eye-opening. In the early days, they played on the dance floor of Harlem’s Renaissance Casino and Ballroom. The border between amateur and professional was porous, even if the line of segregation was not.
Abdul-Jabbar’s chapter on the so-called Rens is surrounded by three others on the history of Harlem, its Renaissance writers, and its jazz musicians. Each of the historical chapters is followed, call-and-response style, with Abdul-Jabbar’s personal reflections on how the…
From Andrew's list on sports history for young and old adults.
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