The Dayton Marcos were one of the original eight teams of the Negro National League in 1920. Despite that claim, only three known photos exist of players in Marcos uniforms.
A group of citizens and artists hope to change all that. The goal of the campaign is to raise money to depict players who played for the team, in period-appropriate Dayton Marcos jerseys, as well as historically accurate scenes through art.
“It’s hard for many people to appreciate history they can’t see,” says Alex Smith, a researcher, and organizer for the project. “But we have plenty of data, and images of many prominent players who played for Dayton at other stops in their career. We want to use the power of art to tell these stories, and help people connect with a heritage our city already has but isn’t properly recognized.”
Prominent local artists including Willis “Bing” Davis, Dwayne Daniel, James Pate, and Morris T. Howard are connected to the project.
The fundraiser, organized with local 501(c)(3) Planned2Give, seeks to raise $20k for numerous pieces of art, a historical marker, new reproduction jerseys, and the hope to eventually create public art.
To donate, visit daytonmarcos.org.
