Temple member and master storyteller, Ted Reinstein will discuss his new book, Before Brooklyn, the fascinating story of the little-known heroes who fought segregation in baseball well before Jackie Robinson's ascent to the major leagues.

Those heroes ranged from from communist newspaper reporters to the Pullman car porters. Ted will discuss how the black newspapers espousing integration in professional sports reached the homes of blacks throughout the country. This book also reminds us that the first black player in professional baseball was not Jackie Robinson but Moses Fleetwood Walker in 1884, and that for a time integrated teams were not that unusual. And then, as segregation throughout the country hardened, the exclusion of blacks in baseball quietly became the norm, and the battle for integration began anew. 

Ted has certainly done his research on this important historical issue. He is an excellent speaker. This promises to be a very entertaining and informative evening.

This program  is open to everyone and is suitable for those people interested in history, as well as those that follow baseball.

The talk will be presented on Zoom.  See your weekly email for the link.