About this Event
Dr. Edwin Bancroft Henderson was the son of working-class parents born in slavery. A driven, intelligent, and charismatic young man, Henderson attended Harvard University’s Dudley Sargent School of Physical Training. There he met the leaders in the new field of physical education and recognized athletics—and basketball, especially—as a public health initiative and a way that young Blacks could gain college scholarships and debunk the idea of racial inferiority.
In The Grandfather of Black Basketball: The Life and Times of Dr. E. B. Henderson, Edwin Bancroft Henderson II—Dr. Henderson’s grandson—provides unprecedented detail and fascinating insight into this influential figure in Black history. Henderson organized the first athletic league for Blacks, introduced basketball to Black people on a wide-scale, organized basis, and founded associations to train and organize Black officials and referees. He also wrote and co-edited the first Spalding publication that highlighted the exploits of African American participation in sports and authored The Negro in Sports. Outside of athletics, Henderson was instrumental in founding the first rural branch of the NAACP, advocated for school desegregation, and held executive board positions with multiple NAACP branches.
Overlooked for decades, Henderson was finally enshrined in the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013 as a contributor. The Grandfather of Black Basketball gives long-overdue recognition to a sports pioneer, civil rights activist, author, educator, and pragmatic humanitarian who fought his entire life to improve opportunities for youth through athletics.
Edwin Henderson is joining us on the Busboys stage to share his knowledge about the life and legacy of his grandfather. Copies of the book will be available for purchase during and after the event, and Henderson will be signing following the program.
This event is free and open to all. Our program begins at 6:00 pm, and will be followed by an audience Q&A. Copies of THE GRANDFATHER OF BLACK BASKETBALL will be available for purchase before and after the event. Please note that this event is in person and will not be livestreamed.
We ask that guests RSVP in order to receive direct updates about the event from Busboys and Poets Books
Edwin B. Henderson, II was born in Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, attended the Laboratory School there, then attended Boggs Academy in Georgia for high school. Returning to Tuskegee, Mr. Henderson received a bachelor’s degree in history, and then moved to California to study photography and television engineering. In 1991, he enrolled in Tuskegee University’s School of Education and received a Master of Counseling and Student Services, then moved to Falls Church, Virginia inheriting his grandparents’ home, which is listed on the City of Falls Church and the Virginia state registry of historic places.
In 1994, Mr. Henderson received a fellowship with the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help’s “Teachers for Africa Program” and was placed at the United States International University In Nairobi, Kenya. He has been an educator for twenty-five years, retiring from Fairfax County Public Schools in 2012.
In 1997, Henderson founded the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation, to promote awareness of African American history and Northern Virginia’s civil rights pioneers. In n2007, he founded Henderson House, Inc, to preserve the home, and intellectual property of E. B. and Mary Ellen Henderson. He serves on several local boards and commissions, such as, the Falls Church Historical Commission, The Falls Church Arts and Humanities Council, and the Fairfax County Historical Society, among others. Mr. Henderson’s advocacy for public history works directly to promote public awareness and respect for all people of every race and culture in the communities where we live.
In 2013, Dr. E. B. Henderson was inducted into The Naismith Basketball of Fame. This effort took 8 long years of nominations and advocacy which lead to eventual enshrinement.
In 2021, Henderson was appointed to the Falls Church City School Board, and today is a consultant to the FCCPS Equity Initiative project.
Mr. Henderson is married to Nikki Graves Henderson, who has been his greatest asset in the work to preserve history.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Busboys and Poets Shirlington, 4251 South Campbell Ave, Arlington, United States
USD 0.00