Black Baseball & Softball Community Heritage Project

Black Baseball & Softball Community Heritage Project: Stay Involved

Montgomery Parks hosted an in-person public meeting on February 2, 2026, to launch a new Untold Stories project focused on the history of African American baseball and softball in Montgomery County from the 1920s through the 1970s. To learn more about the discussion and next steps, view the meeting recap and meeting notes.

A virtual open strategy session will take place on March 10 from 7–8 pm. This first session will provide an opportunity to discuss the project’s goals more broadly and to share feedback on the questions we plan to ask park patrons during the spring audience study. Please complete the registration form to receive the meeting link.

A color photo of the Heartbreakers, a women’s softball team from the mid-1970s. The women are wearing orange uniforms. Two male coaches stand on either side of the two rows of women, one row sitting and the other standing. They are outside in front of a small stand of trees. — The Heartbreakers women’s softball team, ca. mid-1970s. Photo courtesy Michael Johnson

A black and white photo of Rockville’s American Legion 151 team, an African American men’s baseball team from the late 1940s. Two rows of men kneel or stand with bats, gloves, and baseballs in front of them. They are in front of an outfield fence and the photo was taken at night. — Rockville’s American Legion 151 in front of the outfield fence at Johnson’s Park, ca. late 1940s. Courtesy Russell Awkard Family and IOKTS Productions Archive

Project Overview

This project is part of Untold Stories, a program led by the Cultural Resources Stewardship Section of Montgomery Parks. The program focuses on community storytelling and sharing local history and culture with the public. This project will feature the history of baseball and softball within African American communities of Montgomery County, spanning from the early 1900s up until the 1970s.

To develop the project, Montgomery Parks is seeking input and guidance from individuals with personal, family, and/or community connections to this history. In addition, staff are conducting an audience study to understand park patrons’ awareness of the topic, their level of interest, and preferred learning methods.

Background

In the first half of the 20th century, many African Americans in Montgomery County lived in small kinship communities formed after the Civil War—more than 40 in total. Segregation limited leisure and recreation opportunities, so these communities created their own entertainment venues. Ball games became major social events, fostering friendly rivalries and community bonding.

Most communities had both men’s and women’s teams, and many built fields ranging from modest sandlots to high-quality facilities with grandstands, lights, and concessions. Because Major League Baseball excluded Black players until 1947—and Negro League pay was often insufficient—many highly skilled athletes played for their hometown teams. The level of play was exceptional.

Status / Project Update

The project is currently in the development, community engagement, research, and audience study phase.

Project Timeline

Date	Project Stage and Resources
Summer 2025 – ongoing	Project Initiation – Research, including meetings with individual community stakeholders
Fall 2025	Pilot audience study
February 2, 2026 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM	Community Meeting #1 at M-NCPPC Headquarters View the meeting notes View the meeting recording
March 10, 2026 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM	Open Strategy Session #1 on Teams Topic: Project Goals and Public Audience Study Feedback *To receive the meeting link, sign up for the project email list Subsequent strategy sessions will be posted here and announced via the project email list.
Spring – Summer 2026	Audience study – phase 2 *Includes online survey for wide distribution
Fall 2026	Community Meeting #2
Fall/Winter 2026	Concept planning for interpretive material begins
2027 and beyond	Development/design/production of materials

Remarkable Montgomery: Untold Stories