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) & Artist Selection:

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 sculptures will be located in the future Westport Waterfront Park.

  • MAP is a 45 year old non profit, visual arts organization located in Baltimore city, has been actively working with Parks & People and The South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP) since summer of 2025 by engaging with artists throughout the Maryland region (MD, DE, PA, DC, & VA) to identify a qualified sculptor for the Black Sox Memorial in Westport Waterfront Park.

    MAP is the manager of the Maryland State Arts Directory and Resource Bulletin on behalf of the Maryland State Art Council (MSAC.) Between being the state Registrar and a long legacy of supporting and championing artists in this region, MAP has assisted in creating a 3-prong process for the artist selection as part of industry best practices.

  • The ‘Call to Artists’ to apply was an open and free process beginning fall of 2025. After an initial vetting of qualifications, MAP and project leadership thoughtfully narrowed down an artist pool from 50 + artists to six shortlisted candidates. Those artists presented and shared their proposals to the community, after which an artist review panel of stakeholders and art professionals was assembled. From here three final candidates were offered an opportunity to interview with the panel. Points of interest included in this process were, and are: Artistic Vision, Site Integration, Community Engagement, and Fabrication Process with the total vetting process taking just under one year.

WHAT TO KNOW:

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

  • This public park and Memorial are important facets 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.

  • The identities for the sculptures will be selected through an annual, public, nomination process.

Learn more

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:

AFRO NEWS - MAY 28, 2026

What Andrew Young reminded me about Baltimore

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.