Negro Leagues Baseball Collection: Additional Resources

To see books from across all MPL library branches, visit our online catalog. This list includes titles for those interested in reading more about the history of the Negro Leagues and learning more about the players that made the league successful.

Major League Baseball devotes a section of their website to honor the history of the Negro Leagues. On their website, you can explore player stats and bios, the history of individual teams, and the history of the leagues in general. There is also an updated ‘features’ section containing news and current articles about the Negro Leagues.

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) in Kansas City, MO is “dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African American baseball and its impact on the social advancement of America”. Their website includes digital exhibitions highlighting special topics in Negro Leagues history, as well as learning materials and teaching resources.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY has section of its website devoted to honoring and celebrating the history of the Negro Leagues. There you will find information about their exhibitions, including images of artifacts. There is also online interactives for students and information about their outreach program.

Rickwood Field in Birmingham, AL is America’s oldest baseball park. Home to T. H. Hayes’ Birmingham Barons, Rickwood still offers free tours to the public and has an on-site museum dedicated to showcasing the history of the park. Their website also includes information about past players and the long history of the ballpark itself.

Ernest C. Withers was the most prolific photographer of the Negro Leagues, capturing its defining moments and players throughout the decades. The Withers Digital Archive provides online access to currently digitized photographs, with more to come. Search the term “baseball” to see images related to the Negro Leagues. 

The Society for American Baseball Research began in Cooperstown, NY when baseball researchers gathered together to form an organization. The members of SABR include major and minor league officials, broadcasters and writers, and even former players. Search their collections for the term “negro leagues” to find a wealth of well-researched material detailing the history and impact of the leagues and its players.

The Center for Negro League Baseball Research (CNLBR) is a nonprofit dedicated to research and preservation of the history of the Negro Leagues. It includes a wealth of photographs, documents, and contracts, as well as detailed histories on teams, players, managers, and games.

The mission statement for the Negro League Baseball Players Association (NLBPA) states, “exists to honor and celebrate the significant contribution of Negro Leagues players to baseball and American history, to collect and preserve that history, to educate others so that Negro League players may be a source of pride and inspiration for generations to come.” It includes information about players, ballparks, and teams.

The Negro Southern League Museum in Birmingham features the largest collection of original Negro League baseball artifacts in the country. The Southern League included teams like the Birmingham Black Barons and the Memphis Red Sox. The museum’s website gives details about the history of the Black Barons as well as access to the top researchers in Negro League and Southern League baseball history.