On Sunday, April 26, 1925, the Harrisburg Giants of the Eastern Colored League played the first of five official league games at Rossmere Base Ball Park in Lancaster County. The Eastern Colored League was one of many segregated leagues that existed in the first half of the 20th Century when white owners observed an unwritten but clearly understood rule barring Black players from their teams. Yet despite the bigotry they faced elsewhere, Black owners, players, and fans built the Negro Leagues into a space where they could thrive. From the Harrisburg Giants to Jackie Robinson to Black and brown players in the game today, the history of baseball isn’t just about scores and statistics—it provides a lens through which to view the history of race and democracy in America.

Join LancasterHistory, local historian Jeremy Raff, and Crispus Attucks Community Center’s Young Professionals of Color Network on Tuesday June 17, 2025 for a special event celebrating the Harrisburg Giants and the Negro Leagues. The evening will begin with a short film and panel discussion to celebrate the Giants’ centennial and the opening of LancasterHistory’s latest exhibit Open the Door: The Harrisburg Giants, the Red Roses, and Baseball’s Color Line in Central Pennsylvania. Following the panel, we’ll break into smaller groups for further discussions of sports and race in America.

Schedule of Events

• 5:30pm –  A Century of Change Film Screening and Panel Discussion
  • A Century of Change, a PBS documentary, tells the story of the Negro National League teams which were not only an economic staple in the Black community, but a source of pride. The panel, moderated by Jeremy Raff, will feature Lancaster historian Leroy Hopkins, baseball historian Ted Knorr, visual creative Joseph Mobley, and India Garnett, grand niece of Rap Dixon, a star for the Harrisburg Giants.
• 6:30pm – Reception
• 7:00pm – Small Group Discussions

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. To register, please click here or call (717) 392-4633 to register over the phone.

This inclusive event welcomes participants of all ages and backgrounds who wish to engage in constructive dialogue. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for disruptive behavior to ensure a respectful environment for all attendees.

If you have any questions, please contact Starleisha Gingrich, Education and Programs Manager at LancasterHistory, (starleisha.gingrich@lancasterhistory.org) or Josh Hunter, Director of the Crispus Attucks Community Center (jhunter@caplanc.org).

Presented In Partnership with Crispus Attucks Community Center and Young Professionals of Color Lancaster