The first organized Negro leagues structure was conceived in Kansas City, Missouri in 1920, and thus was born the Negro National League, followed by eastern and southern leagues.
Join correspondent Tom Wilmer for a visit with Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri.
Back in the latter 19th century, African American athletes often played on baseball teams alongside whites. Segregation took an ugly turn in the dawning days of the 20th century and black players were barred through Jim Crow laws.
The decline of the Negro Leagues began in 1945 when the Brooklyn Dodgers recruited Jackie Robinson, a player for the Kansas City Monarchs.
The Bob Kendricks interview--previously broadcast over NPR affiliate KCBX is re-shared in honor of Black History Month.
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