BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : THE FIRST AFRICAN BASKET BALL PLAYERS IN THE NBA :

On October 31st 1950, a 21 year old Earl Lloyd became the first African American to play in an NBA game when he takes the court in the season opener for the Washington Capitols. Lloyd grew up in Jim Crow Virginia and went to West Virginia State, were he was the star of the schools championship basket ball team. He did'nt know he would be drafted by the NBA until he ran into a campus friend who told him he had heard a rumor that he would be moving to Washington. It turned out that the Capitols had picked him in the ninth round of the draft. Two other Black players joined the NBA that season, the Celtics round of the draft, Chuck Cooper in the second round and New York Knicks got Nat "Sweet Water " Clifton from the Harlem Globetrotters, but the Knicks and Celtic did not start their season until November.

As a result Lloyd became a coincidental pioneer the first Black Player to make his debut in the NBA. Joining an all white team was intimidating, Lloyd remembered but his team mates most of whom had played on integrated college teams - were immediately welcoming. Some fans how ever were less kind. As the announcer read the Capitols line up on the first night of the season, a white man in the front row ask  " Do you think this Nigger can play any basket ball "?  Lloyd mother who was seating behind the man leaned forward and told him  not to worry " The Nigger " She said  " Can Play "