Projects

Baltimore Black Sox Memorial

Baltimore Black Sox Memorial

Parks & People, in partnership with the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP), is thrilled to lead the creation of the Baltimore Black Sox Memorial in Westport.

Brief History: The Baltimore Black Sox baseball team was founded in 1913 and began playing in Westport in 1917 as part of the Negro Leagues. In 1929, they clinched the American Negro League pennant with a 61–28 record, marking their most successful season. This Memorial will symbolize the indelible legacy of the Baltimore Black Sox and their profound influence on the city’s African American history and baseball culture. Current MLB Hall of Fame Players who played for the Black Sox include: Leon Day, Pete Hill, Biz Mackey, Satchel Paige, Mule Suttles, Ben Taylor and Jud Wilson. 

Baltimore Black Sox Sculpture Project (BSSP):

Maryland Art Place (MAP) is working to engage Baltimore regional artists (MD, DC, PA, DE, VA) working in large-scale sculpture to create artworks of historical Baltimore Black Sox baseball players in partnership with Parks & People and South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP)

The Black Sox Sculpture Project (BSSP) will recognize the team’s impact while uplifting the stories, history, and community through a public art memorial.

The sculpture will be located in the future Westport & Smith Cove Waterfront Park.

After reviewing submissions from artists, the project team selected six finalists whose concepts will help shape this tribute to the players and community that helped define this important chapter of Baltimore’s history.

On March 31, 2026, the project team hosted a “Meet the Artists” community e event featuring six potential artists. Each artist offered their vision for how to honor the legacy of the Baltimore Black Sox.

The presenting artists were:

Vinnie Bagwell
Austen Brantley
Rodney Carroll
Toby Mendez
Matthew Gremmell
Alvin Pettit

Below, you’ll find the presentation shared during the event.

As you review the presentation, think about which concepts resonate with you most.

We invite you to share your feedback through April 20, 2026 by 11:59PM
using the button below.
 We appreciate your time and input as we move forward with this project!

Share your feedback

WHAT TO KNOW:

  • The sculptures will be placed within a larger $30 million public park on the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River in the Westport neighborhood.

  • Westport is an important facet of the Reimagine Middle Branch Plan’s framework for Equitable Development to honor, celebrate, and uplift African American cultural achievements in Baltimore. 

  • The BSSP plays tribute to the legacy of the Baltimore Black Sox baseball team, memorialized through large scale sculpture & collective memory.

  • The BSSP emphasizes the need for lifelike, figurative sculptures that authentically represent Black individuals in public art—addressing a historic imbalance where such representation has been largely reserved for white figures in the U.S.

Black Sox Research Program - Coppin State Students

Thanks to a generous, anonymous donation to Parks & People, this program funded a paid, research program with Dr. Dupree-Wilson, and a group of Coppin State students researched the Baltimore Black Sox Negro League’s baseball team's impact on civil rights, community, and the evolution of baseball.

The culmination of the research was shared and celebrated during a student research showcase on November 18, 2025.

Learn more

Thanks for joining us!

Beyond the Scoreboard: The Baltimore Black Sox and the Negro Leagues’ Civil Rights Legacy discussion and workshop event

Saturday, February 21, 2026, 12:00 - 3:00pm at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Learn more

Black SOx Memorial IN THE NEWS:

WJZ/CBS BALTIMORE — FEBRUARY 20, 2026

Memorial in the works to honor Baltimore's Black Sox baseball team

WNST 1570 AM/BALTIMORE POSITIVE — MARCH 18, 2024

Time to tell the real story of the Baltimore Black Sox

WMAR/ABC BALTIMORE — FEBRUARY 14, 2024

Milestone reached in Baltimore Black Sox Memorial project

WMAR — JAN. 6, 2023

Baltimore Black Sox to be memorialized in huge South Baltimore project

Reimagine Middle Branch, a community-driven initiative, is led by the City of Baltimore, South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, and Parks & People, working alongside a team of expert consultants, stakeholders, and Baltimoreans.