February 17, 2026
Black History Month Event
Dr. Larry Hogan and Mr. Kevin Kane will present the program “Before You Can Say Jackie Robinson: Black Baseball in America in the Era of the Color Line.” This event is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be provided.
Larry, a Fanwood resident, is a professor emeritus from Union College where he taught African-American history for 37 years. Kevin supplements the program with poetry and music. Artifacts complete the presentation.
Dr. Hogan was the Executive Director of the documentary Before You Can Say Jackie Robinson: Black Baseball in American in the Era of the Color Line. The current program, which features exhibits, has been shown throughout the country. According to John Thorn, official historian for MLB, “Historian Larry Hogan basks in baseball’s shadowed fields. He is a national treasure.”
Although black professional baseball began in the 1880s and ended shortly after Hall of Fame player Jackie Robinson entered the game, there is little public awareness of this important history. Dr. Hogan’s program affirms the importance of this history, and its great players, while explaining the historical context and barriers faced by these heroes.
Shady Rest Golf Club
Jerusalem Road
Scotch Plains, NJ
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