The storied past of Black baseball in Charlotte is a vital thread in the tapestry of American sports history. Baseball, often hailed as America's favorite pastime, has roots in the Queen City going back to 1875, with Charlotte's first baseball team simply named after the city. A historical deep dive courtesy of former JCSU library archivist and current Mecklenburg County Park and Rec historian Brandon Lunsford, alongside Michael Webb, sheds light on the emergence of Charlotte's Black baseball clubs in the late 19th century, with teams like the Charlotte Grays and the Biddle University squad forming in response to the exclusionary practices of early Major League Baseball (CharlotteNC.gov).
The charlotte's baseball scene, which blossomed during a time of tentative post-Civil War integration, saw parks like Latta Park becoming key venues for Black players. Yet the city also harbored plans for a Black baseball stadium near the Myers Street School, a project seemingly lost to time and urban renewal, as Lunsford notes in an interview. Baseball was more than a game; it was a community affair, particularly on Easter and the Fourth of July, latter Known as Freedmen’s Day, celebrations that saw teams proudly representing their neighborhoods (CharlotteNC.gov).
With the shift back to segregation post-Reconstruction, Black baseball faced increasing adversity amidst a social climate often "dangerous to be Black in Charlotte and in the South," as Lunsford told CharlotteNC.gov. Despite this, the 1920s to '40s saw the heyday of Black baseball clubs, until factors like World War II and the shattering of MLB's color barrier by Jackie Robinson led to a gradual decline. Yet the Charlotte Black Hornets and similar teams did not fade away without leaving an indelible mark on the city's history and the larger narrative of baseball in America.
Today, the legacy of the Charlotte Black Hornets, and Black baseball at large, enjoys newfound recognition. In 2024, Major League Baseball incorporated the statistics of the Negro Leagues into its historical records, elevating players like Josh Gibson to their rightful places as record-holders. Locally, the Charlotte Knights, rooted in the same lineage as the Hornets, continue to honor this heritage with events like the annual Negro League Tribute Night. On April 10, 2026, the Knights will host their 12th tribute with celebrations, scholarship awards in memory of Eddie G. G. Burton, and a game dressed in replicas of the Charlotte Black Hornets' uniforms. As Knights Director of Community Relations and Promotions Chris Dillon emphasizes, the evening is not only a "celebration of history," but an educational opportunity for attendees and an acknowledgment of the players who paved the way for today's athletes (CharlotteNC.gov).
For those interested in attending, tickets for the Charlotte Knights HBCU & Negro League Tribute game are available for purchase on the team’s website, offering a chance to experience a piece of history and celebrate the enduring impact of the Charlotte Black Hornets and their contemporaries on baseball and society at large.
