The Homestead Grays in 1930.
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The first organized league of teams consisting solely of African-Americans -- it was called the Negro National League -- was in 1920. This first league lasted until 1931. A second league, also called the Negro National League, was organized in 1933. Another league, the Negro American League, was launched in 1937. The former folded after the 1949 season, the latter held on until 1962.
ernest barice
After the integration of professional baseball two factors combined to bring about the collapse of the Negro Leagues: (a) the best players from the top Negro League teams were signed by Major League organizations, thus weakening the top Negro League teams, and (b) the interest of black fans was quickly drawn away from the Negro Leagues as they focused their interest on the performance of Jackie Robinson and other black pioneers in the major leagues
In 1970, Satchel Paige, credited with 55 no-hitters, was the first Negro League star to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Note: Jackie Robinson, the 1st modern Black Major Leaguer, played for the Kansas City Monarchs (1945), of the Negro League was Elected to Hall of Fame by Baseball Writers in 1962, BUT he made it because of his time with the Dodgers.
The first year Negro History Week was first celebrated was in 1926.