Cary Blackburn Lewis Sr. (1888–1946) was an American sportswriter, newspaper editor, and publicist.[1] He was instrumental in the formation of the Negro National Baseball League (NNL) in the 1920s. Lewis worked at The Chicago Defender, the Courier-Journal, and the Indianapolis Freeman newspapers.
Cary Blackburn Lewis Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 15, 1888 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | December 8, 1946 (aged 58) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Burial place | Lincoln Cemetery |
| Occupation(s) | Sportswriter, newspaper editor, publicist |
| Known for | Sportswriting on Negro league baseball |
| Spouse | Georgia "Bertha" A. Lattimore (m. c. 1925–1946; death) |
Biography
editCary Blackburn Lewis Sr. was born on July 15, 1888, in Louisville, Kentucky, US.[2] His draft card used an earlier birth date of July 15, 1880 or 1881.[1] He was the son of Plummer Lewis of Louisville, Kentucky, a veteran of the American Civil War who served with the 28th U.S. Colored Infantry.[1][3]
Lewis served as managing editor of The Chicago Defender, an African American newspaper, from 1910 to 1920.[1][4] During his career he also worked as a reporter for the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky; and the Indianapolis Freeman.[1] Lewis often wrote about Black baseball games and teams, including the Leland Giants.[1][5] He also wrote about the Black community.[6]
Lewis was contributory in the formation of the Negro National Baseball League (NNL), he was one of four people to create the NLL constitution.[1][7] The others to form the NLL constitution included David Wyatt from the Indianapolis Ledger, Elwood C. Knox from Indianapolis Freeman, and attorney Elisha Scott.[1][7] He also served as publicity director for Booker T. Washington in later life.[8]
He died on December 8, 1946, in Chicago;[9] and is buried at Lincoln Cemetery in Chicago.[8]
Personal life
editAround 1925, Lewis married Georgia "Bertha" A. Lattimore.[8] She was the daughter of Beauregard Moseley and was a teacher.[5] They lived at 4510 Vincennes Avenue in Chicago and were featured in the society pages.[8] Together they had two sons.[5] His son Cary B. Lewis Jr. served in the military, became a professor in business administration, and was a Certified Public Accountant.[10][11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h "Lewis, Cary Blackburn, Sr. ·". Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (NKAA). University of Kentucky Libraries.
- ^ "Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1871-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M8-745F : 18 March 2018), Cary B Lewis, 08 Dec 1946; citing Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, source reference, record number, Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm.
- ^ Bois, William Edward Burghardt Du (1917). "Personal". The Crisis. Vol. 15–18. Crisis Publishing Company. p. 86.
- ^ Lester, Larry (2011-03-28). Baseball's First Colored World Series: The 1924 Meeting of the Hilldale Giants and Kansas City Monarchs. McFarland. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-7864-8736-3.
- ^ a b c Heaphy, Leslie A. (2006-07-05). Black Baseball and Chicago: Essays on the Players, Teams and Games of the Negro Leagues' Most Important City. McFarland. pp. 145, 231. ISBN 978-0-7864-2674-4.
- ^ "To Be Discussed at Coletown". Lexington Herald-Leader. September 22, 1908. p. 7. ISSN 0745-4260 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Heaphy, Leslie A. (2015-03-13). The Negro Leagues, 1869-1960. McFarland. p. 62. ISBN 978-1-4766-0305-6.
- ^ a b c d "Georgia A. (Lattimore) Lewis". Friends of Eastern Cemetery. June 17, 2021.
- ^ "Obituary 4 -- Cary B. Lewis". The New York Times. December 10, 1946. p. 31. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-11-30.
- ^ "Cary B. Lewis, Jr. , CPA". The Kentucky CPA Journal, Issue 3. 2021.
- ^ "Cary B. Lewis". Chicago Tribune. March 21, 1991. ISSN 2165-171X. Archived from the original on November 26, 2023.