The year is 1930, and it’s a lazy Sunday afternoon in lower Manhattan. A group of little rascals from different neighborhods in the city spark up a game of stickball at the edge of Pike Street. There’s one runner on base, the catcher calls for a low fastball, and spectators eagerly anticipate the offering from the eagle-eyed ace on the mound. In the distance, the teal patina of the Manhattan Bridge towers over skeletal fire escapes, cobblestone streets, and mom-and-pop storefronts. The young batter squeezes a makeshift bat and takes his stance, looking past his large newsboy cap, hoping to connect with the ball before the approaching car sends the young stickballers scattering for cover.

“Stickballers” by Kadir Nelson is part of a series of paintings celebrating the Harlem Renaissance era. Known for depicting historical subjects, Nelson pays tribute to young athletes of days past, and the spirit of interracial tolerance.

 Available as Open Edition Offset Lithograph (27x37.5 inches), Unstretched Canvas Giclee (30x44 inches) or Stretched Canvas Giclee (30x44 inches)