We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

Nelson, Kadir. We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball.  Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, New York: 2008. 88 pages. Tr. $18.99 ISBN 978078680832

Annotation

Author and illustrator Kadir Nelson’s book We Are the Ship is a boldly illustrated tale of the phenomenal athletes who played in Negro League baseball.

Review

Kadir Nelson’s We Are the Ship is a beautifully illustrated tale of baseball’s Negro League which was formed when baseball was still racially segregated.  Nelson’s bold and original paintings bring to life the story of these amazing athletes.  The Negro League was poorer than the Major Leagues, but the players were just as good, if not better than Major league players and their games were often just as well attended.  The Negro League played fast-paced, rougher games that the spectators found wildly entertaining.  The Negro League players would also often play 3 to 4 games a day and travel all night while Major League players would play 3 to 4 games a week.  All Star games were especially popular.  In these games the greatest athletes of the Negro League faced off against the greatest player from the Major Leagues.  That is how the African American players knew they were just as good as the Major League players.  Even though the Negro League players were just as good, it was not until the 1940’s that Major League baseball finally saw integration was Jackie Robinson started playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers.  This was not an easy position to be in, Robinson faced discrimination everyday from fans and other players.  Eventually other Negro League players were hired by the Major Leagues until the Negro League could no longer compete and was eventually dissolved in 1948. 

Awards/Honors

ALSC Notable Book 2009

Orbis Pictus Honor Book 2009
Sibert Award 2009

Front and Back Matter

Foreword, Original illustrations by Kadir Nelson, Author’s Note, Acknowledgements, Negro Leagues who made it to the Major Leagues, Negro Leaguers in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Bibliography, Filmography, Endnotes, Index

Author’s Website

http://www.kadirnelson.com/