CAPTURING HISTORY. . . With the help of artists Lonnie Powell (left) and Kadir Nelson (second from left), the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum will begin a project in August, entitled “Shades of Greatness”, which will feature more than 20 original works of art interpreting the Negro Leagues experience. Shown during a recent press gathering was from left to right, Powell, Nelson, Bruce Boeger, Keith Shepard and Bob Kendrick, of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. -- CALL photo by Jerry Lockett

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) and the Ford Motor Company announced a partnership in producing the first-ever professional art exhibition inspired by Negro Leagues Baseball. The project, entitled "Shades of Greatness", will feature more than 20 original works of art interpreting the Negro Leagues experience. It opens August 15 and will be on display through October in the Changing Gallery at the museum. The exhibit is free to the public.

Internationally acclaimed artist Kadir Nelson was selected by the museum to be special guest artist for the project. Nelson, who currently has a painting of Negro Leagues founder Andrew "Rube" Foster on display at the museum, drew national attention in August 1999 when Sports Illustrated dedicated six pages to showcase some of his Negro Leagues art. Nelson has exhibited works in galleries and museums throughout the United States and abroad including the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance; the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences; The Museum of African American History (Detroit); The Bristol Museums and Art Galleries (Bristol, England); The Citizen’s Gallery (Yoko-hama, Japan) and The Center for Culture (Tijuana, Mexico).

"I remember opening Sports Illustrated and seeing these magnificent illustrations of scenes from Negro League games and was simply amazed," said Bruce Boeger regional director for Ford/Lincoln-Mercury. "Kadir captures the passion, excitement and brilliance in which these great athletes played baseball. The Ford Motor Company is thrilled that his work along with the other talented artists will be a part of this ground-breaking exhibition."

Nelson, who is working on a tribute book to the Negro Leagues, will be joined by artists from the "The Light in the Other Room" (a collaborative of Kansas City-based professional African American artists) along with a group of artists from Hallmark Cards, Inc., who are donating works for inclusion in the exhibition.

SHOWCASING NEGRO LEAGUE HISTORY. . . Artist Kadir Nelson will be one of the artists who will help the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in a project, entitled “Shades of Greatness”, which will feature more than 20 original works of art interpreting the Negro Leagues experience. -- CALL photo by Jerry Lockett