Kareem Abdul-Jabbar helped deliver Milwaukee a world championship in 1971 as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. Yet, his current project may very well be more important to the city not to mention the entire nation.
"On the Shoulders of Giants" a documentary on the Harlem Rens, "the greatest basketball team you never heard of," is not only an entertaining and deeply enriching film - it should be a mandatory piece of social studies teaching for every school district in America.
In the film (based on a book by the all time basketball leading scorer) Abdul-Jabbar, a history major at UCLA, along with film maker Deborah Morales explores the Harlem Renaissance, its cultural and social significance through the lens of the Harlem Rens, an all black basketball team from the 1930s. The Rens competed against all white teams like the original Boston Celtics (of the then segregated National Basketball Association) and barnstormed the country playing an unselfish brand of team basketball all while enduring levels of massive racism.
The film should be eye opening for many, especially those under 30. It's a history lesson, sure, but it's also a showcase for a game that today too many characterize as an individual sport not as the time-tested team sport that basketball truly still is or at least should be.
Milwaukee's rich basketball history didn't start with Kareem, but he's obviously a huge part of it and his movie and speaking opportunities are further cementing his place as one of the game's best.
The movie is fast paced, fun and easy to watch. And while it's about racism it's also an important reminder of how the color barrier was broken in the game of basketball. It's common knowledge that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier for baseball, but few know about the NBA's all-white past much less its first African America player, Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton. Clifton signed with the Knicks in 1950.
The Bucks, who entered the league in 1968, had the first black general manager in any sport, Wayne Embry. Embry watched "On the Shoulders of Giants" last Friday evening at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Milwaukee with a small group of Bucks media, fans and front office staff. Embry was visibly moved by the story of the Rens and the impact that the team had on his sport and his life.
I must say, as a huge basketball fan, that watching this film with people like Embry, Jon McGlocklin, and, of course Abdul-Jabbar, was amazing. The segregation is sad, and today nearly forgotten but the film shows it in its raw reality. The Rens and its outgoing owner Bob Douglas were an integral part of showcasing the beauty of basketball, the historic Harlem arts, culture and music explosion of the 1920s and '30s and helping to pave the way for the Harlem Globetrotters, a team that wasn't even from Harlem (Chicago) but went on to be probably the best-known entity "from Harlem" simply because they were inspirited by the Rens.
"On the Shoulders of Giants" hasn't had a wide release, but Abdul-Jabbar is passionately promoting the film, its educational value and its history lessons. If you have a connection to any type of sports team, especially a high school team, I'd encourage you to check out Abdul-Jabbar's site, buy the film, show it and discuss it. It's that good, and has the potential to shape conversations, relationships and quite possibly bring people together.
Abdul-Jabbar now coaches in L.A, but through his film he's still helping to build Milwaukee with a story that's about relationships, hard work, team work and race. It's a story that more need to see, absorb and live.
A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.
He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.
Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.
He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.
He also thinks you should read OnMilwaukee each and every day.
