'Negro League Nights' Premieres at the Micheaux Film Festival in Los Angeles

Something as instinctual as wanting to take a shower after a championship game turns into a revolutionary moment.

(Top L-R) Deric Augustine, Jordan L. Jones
(B L-R) Norman Towns, C.J LeBlanc

Negro League Nights is a short film of civil disobedience and gallantry, starring Deric Augustine, Norman Towns, C.J Pierre, and Jordan L. Jones. Through Kyle Sykes' writing and directing, Negro League Nights is more than a film; it's a tribute to his grandfather's legacy.

Its roots are in the unwavering stand that Negro League pitcher Frank Jehoy “Doc” Sykes (Deric Augustine) and his teammates took after winning the American Negro League Championship Series in 1922 at Yankee Stadium.

Both historically and cinematically, there’s a connectivity to the past that this story satisfies, particularly in the area of sports and activism. This is the history that continues to call, yet only a few are answering. This film is one of them.

(Stills from Negro League Nights)

Frank Jehoy "Doc" Sykes was an exceptional pitcher for the New York Lincoln Stars and a key part of their Colored Word Series Championship in 1915. His career with the Baltimore Black Sox is equally noteworthy for achieving a 30-6 record in one season and pitching a no-hitter game in 1922. In addition to his impressive career as a pitcher, he was a beacon for equality, social justice and change.

A legacy that rests on impact and the courage to confront racial injustice, “Doc” Sykes’ most profound mark on history came when he challenged judicial inequality during the Scottsboro Boys trial. He testified for the inclusion of Black jurors, which became vital to the Supreme Court's decision to diversify its juries.

Being a Black baseball player during this era meant enduring discrimination, segregation, and indignity, from being barred from white-owned hotels and restaurants to playing and sleeping under poor conditions. Yet on the other side of that hardship lived resilience, fortitude, perseverance, and a steady pulse of activism.

While we continue to rightfully honor the late and great Jackie Robinson—his breakthrough, resilience, advocacy, and legacy—we must also remember that there were approximately 3,400 other players in the Negro Leagues who stepped onto the baseball field.