Show Notes

This week, we tell the stories of three pioneers in the NBA – Chuck Cooper, Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton & Earl Lloyd. Three Black men that broke basketball’s colour barrier. Three incredible human beings whose stories we hope you remember. 

Major sources for this episode include:

History.com: 9 Black Athletes Who Integrated Professional Sports

NBA History: Top Moments: Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper, Nat Clifton blaze new path in NBA

NBA: Six Who Paved the Way

NBA: How a trio of pioneers gave rise to racial integration in the NBA

New York Times – The Athletic: The NBA integrated 75 years ago with the debuts of three Black players

Andscape: NBA celebrating 75th anniversary of first Black draft picks

NBA History: NBA Pioneers: League celebrates 75th anniversary of first Black players

EJI: University of Tennessee Basketball Team Refuses to Play Opponent That Has One Black Player

Chuck Cooper Foundation: Timeline/History

WGBH: 75 years ago, the Celtics made history by drafting the NBA’s first Black player

Basketball Hall of Fame: Nat Clifton

ESPN: ‘Sweetwater’ brings memories of Nat Clifton breaking NBA’s color barrier and my father’s role in historic event

NBA: A timeline: Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton

Andscape: NBA pioneer Nat ‘Sweetwater’ Clifton was a Chicago legend

History – This Day In History: Earl Lloyd becomes first Black player to suit up in the NBA

West Virginia State University: Earl Lloyd

Basketball Hall of Fame: Earl Lloyd

NBC News: Today in History: Earl Lloyd Became First Black NBA Player

History: How the Harlem Globetrotters Rose From Obscurity to Become Global Stars

Writer & Host: Sidney Hirst-O’Reilly

Executive Producer & Co-Host: Terry O’Reilly

Researcher & Series Producer: Allison Pinches

Director: Callie O’Reilly

Supervising Producer: Debbie O’Reilly

Engineer: Geoff Devine

Theme music: Jeremiah Pick, James Atin & Casey Pick

Tunes: APM Music