The City of Lake Charles is proud to present "WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball, Original Paintings by Kadir Nelson.” at the 1911 Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center at 1001 Ryan Street.  The exhibition is scheduled to open at Friday, June 26 and run through Saturday, August 15, 2009.  An opening reception will be held from 6 - 9 p.m. with an overview by Journalist, Zeke Rideaux.  All ages are invited at no charge; old fashion ballpark refreshments will be served. 

Award-winning artist and author Kadir Nelson spent seven years researching, writing and creating handsome paintings to be included in the brilliantly illustrated book, “WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball,” which is dedicated to the preservation of the history of the Negro Baseball Leagues. During the process of creating the book, Nelson interviewed former Negro League players, traveled to museums around the country, poured over old photographs, firsthand testimonies and documentaries, collected baseball memorabilia, sports equipment and uniforms, then posed and photographed himself in them, all with the intention of putting himself in the shoes of a former Negro Leaguer to recreate an authentic depiction of life in the Negro Baseball Leagues.

The exhibition is the story of Negro League baseball the story of gifted athletes and determined owners; of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship; of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and off the field. It is a perfect mirror for the social and political history of black America in the first half of the twentieth century. But most of all, the story of the Negro Leagues is about hundreds of unsung heroes who overcame segregation, hatred, terrible conditions, and low pay to do the one thing they loved more than anything else in the world: play ball.

Kadir Nelson tells the story of Negro League baseball from its beginnings in the 1920s through its decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947. What makes this exhibition so outstanding are the dozens of oil “paintings" breathtaking in their perspectives, rich in emotion, and created with understanding and affection for these lost heroes of our national game.

The showing here in Lake Charles is part of a national tour over a two and a half year period, containing 33 paintings and 13 sketches from the book, “We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball”  by Kadir Nelson. The tour was developed and managed by Smith Kramer Fine Art Services, an exhibition tour development company in Kansas City, Missouri.

The City of Lake Charles is dedicated to supporting and promoting public interest in arts and history for the benefit of all Lake Area residents and visitors. Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted.  For more information, please call 491-9147 or visit www.cityoflakecharles.com.

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