LANCASTER, Pa. – The public is invited to join LancasterHistory, local historian Jeremy Raff, and Crispus Attucks Community Center’s Young Professionals of Color Network on Tuesday June 17, 2025 for "Open the Door: A Discussion of Race & Baseball in Lancaster County," a special event celebrating the Harrisburg Giants and Negro League baseball.

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.

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. For a full schedule of events for that evening, please visit lancasterhistory.org/events/open-the-door.
  

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.

"Open The Door" on June 17 is part of a larger community celebration honoring the history of Negro League baseball in Lancaster. Additional events and more information can be found at caplanc.org/negro-league-lancaster-centennial/.